Boucher named coach of IPL giants Mumbai Indians

JOHANNESBURG - Outgoing South Africa coach Mark Boucher will lead the Mumbai Indians in the next Indian Premier League season, the franchise said on Friday, days after his shock resignation from the Proteas. 

The 45-year-old will leave the South Africa post once the T20 World Cup wraps up in November, despite having a year left on his contract.

He will replace Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene as coach of Mumbai, the IPL's most successful franchise, when the cash-rich league resumes next year. 

"Their history and achievements as a franchise clearly put them up there as one of the most successful sporting franchises in all of world sport," Boucher said in a statement.

Mumbai, owned by billionaire industrialist Akash Ambani, have won five IPL crowns since the league's inception in 2008, including three under Jayawardene.

But the team have disappointed in the past two seasons and finished last in the 2021 competition after losing their first eight matches.

Boucher's remaining time with South Africa includes a white-ball tour of India later this month, followed by the T20 World Cup in Australia.