Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka urged the government to resolve the negative atmosphere surrounding the team. On 25 February, R. of Colombo. The captain’s request came after they were ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2026, following the defeat to New Zealand at the Premadasa Stadium. Dasun Shanaka expressed disappointment in seeing so much criticism directed at the team.
The Sri Lankan captain said that as a player he always tried his best to remain positive in the dressing room. But no matter how much he tried to keep himself motivated, the constant criticism and unnecessary noise affected the atmosphere, which ultimately affected the players’ mentality and performance on the field.
Negative atmosphere is often created from outside: Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lankan captain
“We mainly hear negative things. No matter how positive we are as players, there is often a negative environment from outside. This is damaging for cricket in Sri Lanka,” Dasun Shanaka said in the post-match press conference.
“This game is all we have and I don’t think it can be saved. When you go out after this, you will also see how many people are there holding the mic to criticize. So why is negativity being spread like this?” He has raised the question.
Negativity is preventing the team from improving
Sri Lanka is the co-host of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026, and they played with full confidence in the group stage of the tournament. But their form collapsed as they lost a point against Zimbabwe in their last match of the group stage.
Later, in the Super 8s, consecutive defeats against England and New Zealand dashed their World Cup dreams.
Captain Dasun Shanaka told the media, “Okay, we lost the World Cup; we know the reasons. We all have concerns. But the negativity has come more than rectifying the issues.”
Dasun Shanaka’s appeal to the government
Winning and losing are all part of the game. After continuous setbacks, the team wants to recover so that it can perform better in the coming days. Team performance is affected by the environment and environment. Shanaka appealed to the authorities to take steps to protect young players from outside interference.
The team captain said, “At least for the upcoming players, if the government can intervene and stop them, I believe it will be a big help for better mental health”.
Talking about yesterday’s match, New Zealand, who came to bat first, scored 168 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs. For an in-form team, the tea target is achievable. But the Sri Lankan team, which had lost momentum before its Super 8 campaign, could score only 107 runs at the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
. New Zealand won this match by a margin of 61 runs. Part-time spinner Rachin Ravindra took 4 wickets to eliminate the home team from the match and the title race.
Read more: New Zealand secures its place in the semi-finals, Pakistan out?; Qualification scenario revealed
