The captain who apologized to Sri Lankan fans

Sri Lanka’s campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026 came to an end after a narrow defeat against Pakistan in the Super 8 stage. Despite a strong fight, the team fell short in the final match.

The game was played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, where Pakistan set a challenging target of 212 runs. Sri Lanka fought until the final over, with captain Dasun Shanaka scoring an unbeaten 76 runs. However, the team managed 207 runs and lost by 5 runs. Due to an inferior net run rate, Pakistan was also eliminated from the tournament.

After the match, Shanaka admitted that the team came very close to victory but could not finish the game. He acknowledged that Shaheen Afridi bowled exceptionally well in the final over. Shanaka apologized to fans for the disappointing exit. He also stated that injuries to key players significantly affected the team’s performance. The absence of two main bowlers was a major setback, and he felt that their presence might have helped Sri Lanka reach the semifinals.

At the same time, Shanaka highlighted the positive performances of young players Pawan Rathnayake and Dunith Wellalage, expressing confidence in the bright future of Sri Lankan cricket.