- By Sunny Daud
- Mon, 22 Jun 2026 02:36 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu expressed her disappointment after her team’s World Cup hopes took another hit, saying it hurts that despite representing her country for nearly 18 years, she has never been able to lead Sri Lanka into the semifinals of either the ODI or T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka failed to capitalise on key moments in the match. The team gave away too many extra runs, conceding 23 extras, including 13 wides. They also dropped three catches during the innings, with two of them coming immediately after taking wickets, allowing the opposition to regain momentum in a crucial low-scoring game.
“It is sadness beyond words. I think I played around 18 years for the national team; I could never get a chance to take my team into a semifinal of a World Cup. Even though I have achieved many things personally, I think I am a failure as a captain,” Athapaththu said in the post-match press conference.
“I think that is a big pain for a player. Actually, now I have to be with that pain,” Athapaththu added.
Sri Lanka’s batting struggled from the start as Athapaththu was one of three batters dismissed within the first three overs. Reduced to 9/3, they were eventually bowled out for just 98 runs. Although the West Indies lost five wickets during the chase, they remained in control and comfortably reached the target.
The win helped West Indies register their third victory in as many matches. They are now level on points with England in Group B and remain strong contenders for a place in the semifinals.
Reflecting on her own performance, Athapaththu admitted she could have handled the situation better and took responsibility for the defeat.
“I think I tried my best; I think I should have played more responsibly than this. If I played more responsibly than this today, we could have won this match today. So, I regret that, especially I don’t like to blame anyone and I think I have more responsibility as a player, as the captain of the team and as a player with more experience,” Athapaththu said.