Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu He made an emotional assessment of his leadership after his side’s crushing defeat west indies In ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026Admitting that she feels she has ‘failed as a captain’ after another campaign which could end without a semi-final appearance. The veteran all-rounder, who has represented Sri Lanka for almost two decades, took personal responsibility for the defeat and reflected on the pain of the defeat despite a career full of individual achievements.
Chamari Athapaththu blamed after crucial defeat
Sri Lanka’s qualification hopes have ended by a narrow margin after their five-wicket defeat against West Indies. With only two points from three matches, the team now needs solid wins in its remaining fixtures and favorable results elsewhere to stay in the competition.
Speaking after the match, an emotional Athapaththu did not hide his disappointment. She described the feeling as “sad beyond words” and lamented Sri Lanka’s inability to reach the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals despite spending 18 years with the national team.
“This pain is beyond words. I feel that I played for the national team for almost 18 years, I never got a chance to take my team to the semi-finals of the World Cup. Even though I have achieved many things individually, I feel that as a captain I have failed. I feel that is a huge pain for a player. Actually, now I have to live with that pain.” Athapaththu said in the press conference after the match.
The captain was particularly critical of her performance. Sri Lanka got off to a poor start and their score read 9/3 within the first three overs, with Athapaththu also out early. The innings never recovered and the team was out for just 98 runs.
Reflecting on his dismissal, he acknowledged that he should have shown more responsibility and believed that his more composed innings could have changed the result. Instead of pointing fingers at his teammates, he emphasized that being the captain and one of the most experienced players in the team, the entire burden rests on his shoulders.
“I think I tried my best, I think I should have played more responsibly than I did. If I had played more responsibly than I did today, we could have won this match today. So, I regret it, especially I don’t like to blame anybody, and I think there’s more responsibility on me as a player, as the captain of the team and as a player with more experience. So, I’m very sad, I feel like I missed my last chance.” Is.” Athapaththu was added.
Personal success in long career but team disappointment
Athapaththu’s comments highlighted the emotional toll of years spent searching for a breakthrough on the global stage. Although she has established herself as Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer in Women’s T20 Internationals and one of the country’s greatest cricketers, World Cup success has remained elusive.
Sri Lanka have not progressed beyond the first round of the tournament since 2009 and Athapaththu has been involved in every campaign during that period. He has also captained the team in six editions of the competition and has consistently met expectations with the bat and leadership responsibilities.
His record as captain reflects the challenges the team has faced over the years. In 114 Women’s T20Is, Sri Lanka have won 49 while losing 62 matches. In women’s international matches, only Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur has led her team in more T20Is.
Also read: Hayley Matthews’ brilliant performance as West Indies beats Sri Lanka in Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
The future remains uncertain ahead of the 2028 World Cup
Despite the disappointment, Sri Lanka’s campaign is not mathematically over. Upcoming matches against Scotland and Ireland provide an opportunity to improve their position, although qualification will likely depend on other results.
Athapaththu, now 36, also answered questions about her future beyond the current tournament. He declined to make any commitments regarding the 2028 T20 World Cup in Pakistan, stating that his decision would depend on maintaining both his fitness and performance standards.
The veteran player said she is committed to keeping herself in the best condition and will continue playing if she can make a meaningful contribution and the team still values her presence. However, his immediate focus right now is on helping Sri Lanka finish the tournament strongly and keep their fading semi-final hopes alive.
“At the moment, I can’t give any clarification about it, because with my age, now I am 36 years old, so with fitness and everything, it is being decided. So, I try my best to keep my physical fitness at a good level and my skills at a high level. If the team wants, I will play in the future, but with my performance level and fitness level, it will be decided whether I will play or not.” Athapaththu further said.
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
