Monty Desai has concluded his tenure as head coach of the Canada men’s national team, as of last weekend. Following his departure, Cricket Canada has officially opened applications for the position, accepting submissions until August 28. This transition occurs ahead of Canada’s next CWC League 2 matches, which are scheduled to take place in Oman starting October 9 against Oman and Nepal.
“A short chapter, but a meaningful one,” Desai shared on Instagram. “Grateful to Cricket Canada for the opportunity to serve as Interim Head Coach over the past three months. Every environment leaves you with learnings. This experience further strengthened my belief that sustainable performance is built through time, trust, preparation, strong relationships and collective ownership. Thank you to the players, support staff and everyone who shared this journey. I leave with gratitude for the relationships built, the lessons learned and the opportunity to contribute. Wishing Canadian cricket continued growth and success.”
Canada is currently positioned sixth in the League 2 standings with four matches remaining in the campaign. The top four teams from the table will earn progression to next year’s ODI World Cup qualifier. This marked Desai’s second tenure with the Canadian side, having previously worked with the team in 2019.
Desai’s departure comes during a volatile period for Canadian cricket. He assumed leadership following Canada’s four losses at the T20 World Cup in February-March, a period that coincided with an ICC anti-corruption unit investigation into allegations during the tournament, specifically regarding the match against New Zealand. Furthermore, the ICC identified “serious breaches of its membership obligations,” resulting in the suspension of Cricket Canada’s funding in May, followed by the suspension of its Associate membership during the quarterly meeting in Ahmedabad. The board remains suspended, and the ICC has established specific reinstatement conditions following its annual meetings in Edinburgh last month.
