The Nigeria Cricket Federation has unveiled Sri Lankan Asanka Gurusinha as head coach and High Performance Manager at the Media Centre of the Moshood Kashimawo Abiola stadium on Tuesday December 8, 2020 in Abuja.
The colourful unveiling ceremony was done by Maria Worphill , a Deputy Director with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development who represented the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare in conjunction with top officials of the Federation led by Prof.Yahaya Ukwenya.
Gurusinha who was picked ahead of 32 top coaches admitted that the interview session was the most thorough and rigorous since his coaching career.
“I am very excited to take up this job and I am really looking forward to the best we can achieve with the level of enthusiasm, talent and support that the Nigerian Cricket Federation has.”
Worphill said the ministry is full of commendations for the board of the NCF, sighting their vision and dedication to duty since they were sworn in.
“Since a little over three years that this board came into office, we have seen their passion and vision to grow the game, especially their interest in grassroots development. This tallies with the direction of the Ministry and we have been giving the support, they need.
“The unveiling of Asanka Gurusinha today was a tedious process, and we are glad that it came through. I want to implore all stakeholders especially sponsors, partners and supporters of the game of Cricket to rally behind the board and Asanka to make sure we make a success of this process.” She said.
Professor Yahaya Ukwenya, President of the Federation said the hiring of Gurusinha was very deliberate and is a key agenda of their five strategic imperatives.
“We have been; promoting the game at all levels, upgrading Infrastructures, engaging strategic partnership, improving the quality of players and officials and maintaining appropriate governance and finance structures as our key goals for this administration.
“The hiring of the Head Coach is paramount to achieving at least two of those. We have five facilities that we are also upgrading side-by-side to international standard including the one that would be used for the National Sports Festival in Benin” he said.
Ukwenya said all the achievements both off and on the field of play is expected to rise on the heels of the expertise and professionalism that the new Head Coach Gurusinha would bring to Nigerian Cricket.
His immediate assignment however is a close camping for the top 36 players in the country who are already in Abuja.