'External negativity affected us': Shanaka after SL's T20 WC exit

By Gaurav Tripathi

Feb 26, 2026 08:50 am

What's the story

Sri Lankan cricket captain Dasun Shanaka has blamed "external negativity" for his team's early exit from the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Sri Lanka became the first team in the Super 8 stage to be knocked out of semi-final contention after losing to England and New Zealand in consecutive matches. The defeats have drawn severe public criticism due to Sri Lanka's poor run in limited-overs cricket since mid-2022.

Mental health

Call for government intervention

In light of the team's poor performance, Shanaka has stressed that external negativity is taking a toll on players' mental health. "No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside," he said after the loss against NZ on Wednesday. "If you look outside the stadium you'll see how many people are standing outside with mics, and people will say stuff without having watched the match."

Pitch issues

Misreading the pitch

Shanaka also admitted that he and the team management had misread the Khettarama surface, which spun more than expected. Sri Lanka lost six wickets to New Zealand's spinners and limped to 107 for eight in their last match. The captain had previously complained about spin-friendly Sri Lankan pitches even before this tournament started. "I said before the start of the tournament that I expected the wickets to be good for batting. Sri Lanka's best batters are here."

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Team fitness

Fitness should be non-negotiable aspect of selection: Shanaka

Shanaka also emphasized the need for fitness to be a non-negotiable aspect of team selection. He pointed out that injuries have hampered their performance, with key players like Wanindu Hasaranga and Matheesha Pathirana missing matches due to fitness concerns. The captain also apologized to Sri Lankan fans for not meeting their expectations in this World Cup campaign.

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