Kandy, Mar 1 (IANS) Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka apologised to fans and blamed injuries and missed moments after his team crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026, despite a fighting performance in their final Super 8 match against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy on Saturday.
Shanaka played a courageous, unbeaten knock of 76, but Sri Lanka fell short by five runs while chasing Pakistan’s imposing total of 212. Although Sri Lanka finished on 207, they could not cross the mark, while Pakistan were also eliminated due to net run-rate calculations.
Reflecting on the loss, Shanaka admitted the game slipped away at the end. He said it was ‘that close’ and felt he could have finished the match, while also crediting Shaheen Afridi for holding his nerve in the final over. Sri Lanka needed 28 runs in the last six balls, and despite Shanaka hitting three sixes and a four, Pakistan defended the total. “It was that close of a game where I could have finished it. But yeah, unfortunate. Well bowled to Shaheen,” he said in the post-match presentation.
Shanaka also took responsibility for lapses under pressure and once again apologised to supporters. “Sometimes, as players, we feel the pressure as well. It was a mistake by me. I wanted to say sorry to all the fans for disheartening them,” he said.
Calling it a tough tournament, Shanaka pointed to injuries as a major setback and apologised to supporters for disappointing them. He felt Sri Lanka could have reached the semifinals if they had a full-strength squad, especially missing two key bowlers.
“It’s been a tough campaign for us. We had a few injuries. I want to say sorry to all the fans because unfortunately, we fell down because of those injuries. Otherwise, we could have probably made it to a semifinal,” he admitted.
“Missing two key bowlers was a big loss. At times of a World Cup, you need your players to be there. It affects the strength and the mentality,” Shanaka explained.
Despite the exit, Shanaka highlighted positives for the future, praising young batters Pawan Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage for their growth and consistency, expressing confidence that Sri Lankan cricket has a bright road ahead.
“Pawan has been very consistent and is using the crease very well. We also have Wellalage. They are growing, and hopefully they will have a bright future ahead,” Shanaka concluded.
–IANS
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