Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has blamed the growing negativity surrounding the team for their exit from the T20 World Cup, even calling for government support to help secure the future of the sport. His comments came after Sri Lanka became the first side to be knocked out of the semi-final clash.
Sri Lanka’s campaign collapsed after a 61-run defeat in front of a packed Khettarama crowd, a loss that followed earlier setbacks against Zimbabwe, England and New Zealand. In the post-match press conference, Shanaka said the pressure from outside the dressing room was impossible to ignore.
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“A lot of times what we see and hear are negative things,” Shanaka said. “No matter how much we try to stay positive as cricketers, there is negativity out there. This is a big loss for Sri Lankan cricket.”
“This is the only sport we have and I don’t know if we’re going to be able to protect it. If you look outside the stadium, you’ll see how many people are standing with microphones and people will be saying things without even watching the game.”
“Why spread this negativity? Yes, we lost the World Cup and we know the reasons. Everyone is worried. More than talking about it and fixing it, the negativity has come to the fore.”
“We’ll play and we’ll go, but for the players who come in the future, if the government can stop it, it’s better for their mental health.”
SRI LANKA’S HORROR RUN CONTINUES
Sri Lanka’s early exit continues a worrying pattern in the T20 World Cup. Since winning the title in 2014, they have now failed to reach the semi-finals in five consecutive editions.
This time, the slide was marked by a series of defeats and a batting unit that struggled to adapt to conditions conducive to the bore. Shanaka admitted the team misread the surface from Khettaram, who offered a significant turnaround from the start of the match as six wickets fell to the New Zealand spinners as Sri Lanka limped to 107 for 8.
WHAT NEXT IN SRI LANKA?
Sri Lanka have one more match to play in the Super 8 stage, the final clash with Pakistan.
While it won’t change Sri Lanka’s fortunes, the result could affect Pakistan’s qualification hopes. For Shanaka and his team, the bigger concern seems to be restoring confidence, both within the team and among the fans, after another disappointing World Cup campaign.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 26, 2026
