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Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has urged the government to intervene over players’ mental health concerns following their exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The Islanders suffered a 61-run defeat at the hands of New Zealand, marking their second loss of the Super Eight and ending their T20 World Cup campaign.
Speaking after the loss to New Zealand, Shanaka cited negativity as the reason behind the team’s downfall.
“A lot of times what we see and hear are negative things,” Shanaka said.
“No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside. That’s a big loss for Sri Lankan cricket,” he added.
The skipper emphasized that they have only one sport, noting that there is too much outside noise.
“This is the only sport we have, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to protect it. 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,” he continued.
“Why spread this negativity? Yes, we lost a World Cup, and we know the reasons. Everyone has concerns,” Shanaka lamented.
The 34-year-old urged the government to intervene, stating that it would be better for players’ mental health and future if the government mitigated this negativity.
“More than talking about that and correcting it, the negativity has come to the fore. We will play and leave, but if for the players who will come in the future, if the government can even stop it [the negativity] that’s better for their mental health.”
He also highlighted the squad and emphasised good batting wickets, lamenting the unfavourable conditions.
“I said before the start of the tournament that I expected the wickets to be good for batting,” he said. “Sri Lanka’s best batters are here. We’ve picked players who have good domestic strike rates and ability. No one is here by force.
“Sometimes we don’t get conditions we want, and we lose matches in unexpected ways. We’re very sad about what has happened.”
“The team is always trying to perform, especially in a World Cup, and I don’t think anyone here will be able to play in a World Cup in Sri Lanka again,” Shanaka concluded.
