Kaushal Silva, the former Sri Lanka opener, is navigating one of the toughest yet most exciting assignments of his cricket career—coaching Hong Kong at the Asia Cup 2025. Appointed barely two weeks before the tournament, Silva has been thrust straight into the deep end, preparing an Associate nation for one of Asia’s biggest stages.
In his own words, it’s been a “baptism by fire.”
A Crash Course Start in Dubai
When Silva landed in Dubai from Melbourne, where he now lives, there was no time for acclimatization. Within hours, he was leading planning sessions, centre-wicket practice, and match simulations. He hadn’t even visited Hong Kong yet.
“The players had been training back home,” Silva recalls. “My assistant Andrew [Lloyd] and I were coordinating over the phone. Once we got here, it was straight to work.”
That work meant taking a squad that had been stuck training indoors due to rain and lack of grounds, and getting them onto turf pitches and bigger outfields. For Silva, these basics mattered more than endless drills.
Building from the Ground Up
Silva stresses the importance of small but critical adjustments.
- Indoor vs outdoor cricket: Hong Kong’s players hadn’t trained on turf in over two months.
- Boundary awareness: At home, a chip over the infield often means a four. In Dubai, with bigger boundaries, players must think about running twos.
- Smart cricket, not reckless cricket: Silva wants his squad to be fearless but tactical—finding gaps, converting singles, and building pressure.
“These may seem like small things,” he explains, “but they’re massive in the bigger picture.”
Coaching Philosophy: People First
Silva retired from international cricket in 2019 and moved to Australia, where he stumbled into coaching while playing club cricket. Over time, he completed his ICC Level 3 course in Dubai and ran his own academy in Victoria while working with both boys’ and girls’ pathways.
The Hong Kong role is his first major international assignment. Drawing from his time under coaches like Trevor Bayliss, Paul Farbrace, and Stuart Law, Silva has embraced a people-first approach.
“As a player, I used to think coaches weren’t telling us much,” he says. “Now I understand—sometimes, too much information is the problem. First, you have to understand the person. Only then can you guide them.”
For Silva, managing personalities is everything. Different players respond to different methods, and finding the right balance is key to Hong Kong’s progress.
Hong Kong’s Challenge: Compete, Not Just Participate
Silva is clear about the mindset he wants his squad to adopt.
- No excuses: “We don’t have the same resources as bigger nations. But that’s reality. No one is going to hand us anything.”
- ODI status goal: Hong Kong lost ODI status in 2018. Regaining it will require a change in mindset and performance.
- Fearless belief: “We are here to compete, not to make up the numbers.”
So far, Hong Kong have played four practice games in Dubai, winning two. That, Silva feels, is evidence the belief is starting to take root.
Asia Cup 2025: The Road Ahead
Hong Kong begin their campaign against Afghanistan and Bangladesh within the first three days of the tournament. On September 15, Silva will face an emotional test: leading Hong Kong against his former team, Sri Lanka.
“Of course it’s exciting,” he admits. “But for us, it’s just another game.”
With players like Ayush Shukla, who once sent back Rohit Sharma in the Asia Cup 2022, Hong Kong are not short of potential match-winners. But Silva knows the margin for error is slim.
“Whoever makes fewer mistakes wins. It’s as simple as that. And that can be anyone—including us.”
What’s Next for Hong Kong Cricket?
Silva sees his role as more than just preparing for this tournament. It’s about building a culture that sustains Hong Kong cricket for years to come.
- Tactical awareness: Teaching players to think beyond fours and sixes.
- Fitness and preparation: Competing in the Dubai heat is as much about endurance as skill.
- Long-term structures: Establishing systems that help Hong Kong regain ODI status and strengthen grassroots cricket.
Kaushal Silva knows the odds are stacked against Hong Kong. Limited resources, less exposure, and the challenge of facing full-member nations at a major tournament is daunting. Yet his message to the players is unwavering:
“No one is going to hand us anything. We prepare with what we have and compete with belief.”
That spirit, more than any single result, could define Hong Kong’s Asia Cup 2025 journey.
