Following Sri Lanka’s exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup, captain Dasun Shanaka has urged government intervention to curb “rising negativity” and public criticism, citing its detrimental effect on the team’s mental health. Shanaka noted that while the team acknowledges its shortcomings, the intense, non-constructive atmosphere created by media and fans is creating a toxic environment.
“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 for Sri Lankan cricket. 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.”
With Sri Lanka now having lost successive matches to Zimbabwe, England, and New Zealand to crash out of this World Cup, criticism is likely to again intensify significantly.
Shanaka said the “negativity” the team faced had become so severe, that perhaps the country’s government should intervene to protect future generations of players.
“Why spread this negativity? Yes, we lost a World Cup, and we know the reasons. Everyone has concerns. 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.”
“Sometimes we don’t get conditions we want, and we lose matches in unexpected ways. We’re very sad about what has happened.”
