Mahela Jayawardene leaves Mumbai Indians after MI finish second-bottom in IPL 2026

Mahela Jayawardene has left his job as head coach of Mumbai Indians, the franchise announced on Saturday 17 October, ESPNcricinfo and Business Recorder reported.

The 49-year-old former Sri Lanka captain had two spells in charge of the five-time IPL champions:

Mumbai have not named a successor, and the announcement gave no reason for his departure.

What Jayawardene said

"Together, we have shared some unforgettable moments, overcome challenges and built something we can all be proud of," Jayawardene said in a statement, adding that he leaves "with immense pride in what we have achieved together."

Why Pakistani fans are watching

The IPL coaching carousel matters to fans here because the same coaches move between franchise leagues that Pakistani players do play in, from the ILT20 in the UAE to The Hundred and the SA20. A coach with three IPL titles becoming free before the 2027 season is likely to draw interest from other franchises.

Pakistan players remain out of the IPL itself, but they are busy elsewhere this winter: Hasan Nawaz has rejoined Desert Vipers for ILT20 2026, and the ODI squad has begun preparing for the tri-series. Fixtures and scores in Pakistan time are on our cricket desk.