Sports Desk : Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu expressed profound grief and a sense of personal failure after her team suffered a devastating five-wicket loss to the West Indies in Bristol on Sunday. The defeat has severely jeopardized Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. To keep a slim hope of qualifying for the final four alive, the island nation must now win both of their remaining fixtures and heavily rely on favorable outcomes from other matches in the tournament.

Captain Blames Herself After Batting Collapse

The match proved to be a double blow for Athapaththu, who managed to score just two runs with the bat as Sri Lanka was bundled out for a paltry 98 runs. Believing she squandered what might be her final opportunity to guide her country into the knockout stages, the skipper shouldered the blame for the defeat. Having featured in every single edition of the T20 World Cup since its inception in 2009, this tournament marks Athapaththu’s 10th appearance on the global stage, making the looming exit particularly painful.

“A Failure as a Captain”: Athapaththu Reflects on 18-Year Career

Putting on a brave face in front of the media, an emotional Athapaththu confessed that her grief was beyond words. Despite an illustrious 18-year international career filled with individual accolades, she stated that her inability to lead her team to a World Cup semi-final makes her feel like a failure as a captain. Refusing to shift the blame to her teammates, she expressed deep regret for not playing more responsibly when the team needed her experience most, adding that she feels she has officially lost her last chance to achieve her ultimate goal.