Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, accepted full responsibility for her team’s five-wicket loss to the West Indies in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Expressing deep disappointment, Athapaththu acknowledged that the defeat had placed Sri Lanka on the verge of elimination from the tournament.
Speaking to the press post-match, Athapaththu emotionally shared her feelings, indicating that the loss went beyond just a single game. She lamented the missed opportunity to lead Sri Lanka into the knockout stages of a World Cup, a feat she had been striving for during her 18-year career with the national team.
The match saw Sri Lanka being bowled out for a mere 98 runs, creating a target that the West Indies comfortably chased down. Athapaththu, known for shouldering much of her team’s batting responsibilities, expressed regret for not playing more responsibly when her team needed her the most.
The defeat now puts Sri Lanka in a position where they must win their upcoming group-stage matches against Ireland and Scotland to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. Athapaththu, a veteran of every Women’s T20 World Cup since its inception in 2009, hinted at uncertainties regarding her future participation, citing the need to maintain peak performance levels at her age of 36.
