Athapaththu made just 2 as Sri Lanka collapsed for 98, a total that West Indies overhauled with five wickets and 23 balls to spare. Sri Lanka have two wins in three games, but with England and West Indies having won all three of their matches so far, and New Zealand and Scotland ahead on net run rate, Athapaththu’s side need a dramatic upswing in fortunes to make it out of their group.
“Actually, it’s a sadness beyond words,” Athapaththu, who is playing her tenth T20 World Cup, said after the defeat. “I think I played around 18 years for the national team and I could never get a chance to take my team into a semi-final of a World Cup.
“Even though I have achieved many things personally, I think I’m a failure as a captain, because I think that’s big pain for a player. Actually, now I have to be with that pain.
“I think I tried my best, I think I should have played more responsible than this and if I have played more responsible than this today, we could have won this match today. So, I regret that. Especially I don’t like to blame anyone and I think I have more responsibility as a player, as the captain of the team and as a player with more experience.
“So, I’m very sad, I feel like I lost my last chance.”
Athapaththu is 36 and has played every T20 World Cup so far. The 11th edition will be in Pakistan in 2028. “For now, I can’t give any explanation about that, because with my age, now I’m 36 years old,” Chamari said about her playing the next T20 World Cup. “So, with fitness and all, that’s being decided. So, I try my best to keep my physical fitness in a good level, and to keep my skills in a high level.
“If the team wants, I will play in the future, but with my performance level and fitness level, it will be decided if I play or not.”
Sri Lanka’s last two Group 2 fixtures are against Ireland in Bristol on June 23 and against Scotland in Manchester on June 26.
