2 months ago
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Fitness and signifier were not the lone areas successful which Sri Lanka failed, said skipper Dasun Shanaka arsenic helium besides blamed the “negative situation created outside” for his team’s ouster from the T20 World Cup and oddly urged the authorities to support the players from criticism.
Shanaka apologised to his state for the disappointing ouster from the Super Eight signifier aft a 61-run nonaccomplishment to New Zealand pursuing a 51-run decision astatine the hands of England. However, helium was not excessively blessed with the disapproval that his players were facing owed to underwhelming performances.
“As players, it’s precise hard for america to power the extracurricular noise. So, astir of the time, we chiefly perceive antagonistic stuff, truthful nary substance however affirmative we are arsenic players, determination is simply a antagonistic situation created from the outside,” helium said aft the nonaccomplishment to New Zealand successful Colombo connected Wednesday (February 25, 2026).
“So that’s a disadvantage for cricket successful Sri Lanka, we lone person this crippled and I don’t deliberation this could beryllium saved. So, wherefore the negativity is being dispersed similar this? Okay we mislaid a World Cup; we cognize the reasons. We each person concerns.
“So, I think, we’ll play and go, but astatine slightest for the players coming up next, if the authorities could interfere and halt those, I judge that volition beryllium a large assistance for the amended intelligence health,” helium added successful an unprecedented request.
In his apology to the state Shanaka said his squad conscionable could not present successful the Super Eights aft a reasonably bully radical run successful which the co-hosts ousted Australia.
“We consciousness precise atrocious astir this. England lucifer was besides a lucifer that we could person won...if we were much sensible, we could person won that. This lucifer was a one-sided game. For the spectators, I don’t person thing to tell, we person not fixed them immoderate triumph that they tin beryllium blessed about,” Shanaka said.
Elaborating connected the reasons for the team’s downward spiral aft the radical stage, helium said the wickets present didn’t behave the mode helium expected.
“Before the commencement of the tournament, I besides mentioned that I expected the wickets to beryllium good. So honestly, we are precise atrocious for what happened. No 1 goes retired determination to fail; everyone goes with the volition of playing good and winning for the team,” helium asserted.
“Unfortunately, we don’t ever get the conditions we want, sometimes we suffer games from the things that we don’t adjacent deliberation of, from the tiny changes. So, we are truthful atrocious astir that, arsenic players we consciousness precise bittersweet astir it,” Shanaka said.
Half a twelve injuries
Shanaka besides conceded that the fittingness of Sri Lankan players was not upto the people and the database of injuries besides kept getting longer arsenic the tourney progressed. The squad mislaid premier pacer Matheesha Pathirana to a hamstring wounded aboriginal successful the lawsuit earlier all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga besides went retired owed to a akin problem.
“I don’t deliberation the carnal fittingness is up to the maximum level. I deliberation for this World Cup, by this match, we person astir 4 to 5 injuries, our champion players are out. So, we tin intelligibly spot that we person immoderate issues astir the carnal fitness.
“I deliberation erstwhile we see the past fewer World Cups, Sri Lanka indispensable beryllium connected the database with astir injured players. Sometimes, I deliberation the different teams are mode up of america erstwhile considering fittingness level,” helium said.
“I deliberation the fittingness should beryllium fig 1 erstwhile playing for a state due to the fact that that’s unnegotiable...everyone knows however bully Wanindu Hasaranga and helium is simply a cardinal player, and besides the value of Matheesha Pathirana , and past Eshan Malinga. When we don’t person these players, [but] I’m not saying that it’s an excuse.”
Future uncertain
Shanaka is not definite astir retaining captaincy aft the dismal Super Eight outing but said Sri Lanka needs to acceptable semipermanent goals going into a mega-event.
“As a captain, I person nary thought however agelong I volition beryllium the captain, it’s decided by the selectors, by Sri Lanka Cricket. But I’m blessed that I had this accidental for this agelong time.
“I had galore bully decisions, and also, I person made mistakes arsenic well. Actually, I’m blessed that I could play a World Cup arsenic a captain,” helium said.
