Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has called on the government to intervene and protect the mental health of his players, following their early exit from the T20 World Cup. The team, co-hosts of the tournament, were eliminated after a second consecutive Super Eights defeat, with New Zealand sealing a convincing victory.
Shanaka said the relentless criticism from fans and pundits over the team's poor performances had severely affected the squad's mental well-being. "No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside," he told reporters after the loss in Colombo. "We will play and leave, but for the players who will come in the future, if the government can even stop it, that's better for their mental health."
The team's preparations had been shaky, including five losses in six white-ball matches against England. Shanaka apologised to supporters for an "embarrassing" display but stressed that the hostile environment had made it difficult for players to succeed. He also noted the absence of three key bowlers—Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, and Ehsan Malinga—due to injuries, and emphasised that fitness was "non-negotiable."
"When you have the number of injuries we've had, it's hard to get a good outcome," Shanaka said. "Your fitness level influences your injuries. There are some players who can't even get into the team because of fitness issues. That's something we've talked about a lot over several World Cups now."
Former captain Kumar Sangakkara also weighed in, warning that Sri Lanka risked becoming irrelevant in world cricket if they failed to adapt. "We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly. We haven’t adapted and the danger is irrelevance," he posted on X.
