Chamari Athapaththu has taken responsibility for Sri Lanka’s damaging ICC Women’s T20 World Cup defeat to West Indies, with her side now facing a narrow route to the semi-finals.
The Sri Lanka captain fronted up after Sunday’s five-wicket defeat in Bristol, where her team were bowled out for 98 before West Indies completed the chase with 23 balls unused. The result leaves Sri Lanka needing to win their final two group fixtures against Ireland and Scotland while relying on results elsewhere.
Athapaththu, who made only two runs in the defeat, said she felt she had missed what could be her last chance to lead Sri Lanka into the knockout stages, according to the ICC’s official tournament report.
Sri Lanka’s campaign now depends on a perfect finish
The emotional reaction matters because Athapaththu has been the face of Sri Lankan women’s cricket for more than a decade and has appeared at every Women’s T20 World Cup since the tournament began in 2009.
At 36, she also admitted her future will depend on fitness and performance levels after the tournament. For now, the immediate equation is blunt: Sri Lanka must beat Ireland and Scotland, then hope England and West Indies’ strong starts leave enough room for a late semi-final escape.
That makes Athapaththu’s response more than post-match disappointment. It is the captain acknowledging both the scale of the missed chance and the pressure on Sri Lanka to produce two flawless performances from here.
