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.
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.