‘Very sorry’: Dasun Shanaka’s emotional apology after Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup humiliation

Colombo: A visibly shattered Dasun Shanaka fronted the media late Monday night to deliver an unreserved apology to Sri Lankan supporters after the co-hosts were bundled out of the T20 World Cup in the Super Eight stage, insisting the team’s failings were “not acceptable” and vowing to finish the campaign with pride against Pakistan.

Sri Lanka’s fate was sealed by a 61-run drubbing at the hands of New Zealand, coming only three days after a 51-run capitulation to England. The twin setbacks rendered Wednesday’s dead-rubber against Pakistan meaningless and extended the island nation’s barren run in global white-ball events since the 2014 triumph.

“We feel very sorry about this,” Shanaka said, voice cracking during a nine-minute press conference. “For the spectators, I don’t have anything to tell. We have not given them any win that they can be happy about.”

The skipper conceded that the England encounter, in particular, had been there for the taking. “If we were more sensible, we could have won that. This match was a one-sided game,” he admitted, referring to the Black Caps’ assault that ended Sri Lanka’s hopes.

Shanaka revealed that the squad had arrived expecting batting-friendly surfaces, only to find conditions that blunted their stroke-makers. “Before the start of the tournament, I mentioned I expected good wickets. The best batsmen in Sri Lanka are here. No one goes out there to fail; everyone goes to win for the country,” he said. “Unfortunately, sometimes we lose games from small changes we don’t even think of.”

Fitness, long flagged as a soft underbelly, resurfaced as a decisive issue. “I don’t think the physical fitness is up to the maximum level. We had about four to five injuries, and our best players are out. When considering fitness levels, other teams are way ahead of us,” Shanaka stated, stressing that standards must become “non-negotiable”.

The absence of star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and express quick Matheesha Pathirana was, he conceded, “a huge setback”, though he refused to hide behind the casualty list. Sri Lanka’s shortage of power-hitters was also laid bare, with the captain calling for “long-term planning” rather than short-term fixes.

Asked about his own future, Shanaka was candid: “As a captain, I have no idea how long I will be the captain. It’s decided by selectors. I have made good decisions and mistakes as well, but I’m happy I had this opportunity.”

Despite the gloom, Shanaka demanded a strong sign-off against Pakistan. “No matter the problems, we have to go positively. It’s very important to finish the World Cup well because it gives momentum for the next tournament,” he said, urging his players to restore a measure of pride before the flight home.

Sri Lanka’s campaign now closes on Wednesday night in Colombo, a fixture that will serve as both farewell and inquest for a side searching for its first global silverware in a decade.