Dasun Shanaka from Sri Lanka. (Getty Images) Dasun Shanaka has made an unprecedented call for government action to protect Sri Lanka’s players from “outside negativity” after their T20 World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, saying the constant criticism was damaging cricketers’ mental health.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Sri Lanka’s exit was confirmed after heavy defeats to New Zealand and England at the Super Eight stage, prompting the captain to apologize to fans while expressing frustration with the environment surrounding the team.“As players, it’s very difficult for us to control the outside noise. Mostly we hear mostly negative things, so no matter how positive we are, a negative environment is created from outside,” Shanaka said after the loss to New Zealand.
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In a rare and striking request, Shanaka urged the authorities to intervene in the interest of future players. “At least for the players who come next, if the government could step in and stop them, I believe it would be a big help for better mental health,” he said.The captain said that criticism is not only damaging to individuals but also to the sport itself. “That’s the downside of cricket in Sri Lanka. We only have this game. Why is negativity spreading like this? OK, we lost the World Cup, we know the reasons.”
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Shanaka also issued a heartfelt apology to the fans for the team’s failure to deliver when it mattered most. “We are very sorry. The England game was also a game we could have won if we were more sensible. I have nothing to say to the spectators. We did not give them any victory to be happy about,” he said.He blamed a combination of factors, including unexpected behavior on the pitch, injuries and fitness deficiencies. “Before the tournament, I expected good goals. No one will fail there, everyone goes with the intention of winning. Unfortunately, sometimes we lose because of small changes that we don’t even think about,” he said.Shanaka admitted that fitness remains a major concern. “I don’t think the fitness is at maximum level. We’ve had about four or five injuries and the other teams are way ahead of us in terms of fitness,” he said, insisting it was “not an excuse”.With his own captain’s future uncertain, Shanaka remained philosophical. “I have no idea how long I’ll be captain. It’s up to the selectors. I’ve made good decisions and mistakes, but I’m glad I had this opportunity.”
