Sri Lanka’s journey in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 came to a disappointing halt after a heavy defeat against New Zealand national cricket team at the R Premadasa Stadium on February 25. The 61-run loss officially ended Sri Lanka’s hopes of reaching the semifinals, making them the first team to be eliminated from the tournament’s knockout race.
Led by Dasun Shanaka, the co-hosts struggled to build momentum throughout the Super 8 stage. Consecutive defeats against the Zimbabwe national cricket team, England national cricket team, and New Zealand ultimately sealed their fate. For a team playing in front of passionate home support, the early exit has raised fresh questions about Sri Lanka’s consistency in global tournaments. After the match, Shanaka openly addressed the challenges his side faced during the competition.
The all-rounder pointed to several factors, including persistent external criticism, tricky pitch conditions, and fitness issues within the squad.“A lot of times what we see and hear are negative things. No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside. That’s a big loss for Sri Lankan cricket,” Dasun Shanaka said in comments reported by ESPNcricinfo.
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“This is the only sport we have, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to protect it. If you look outside the stadium you’ll see how many people are standing outside with mics, and people will say stuff without having watched the match,” he added.
Tactically, Sri Lanka’s decision at the toss also proved costly. Shanaka admitted that the team misread the conditions after opting to chase against New Zealand. The surface, which he initially expected to assist batting, quickly turned into a spin-friendly wicket. New Zealand’s slow bowlers took full advantage, dismantling Sri Lanka’s batting lineup with six wickets falling to spin. The hosts eventually slumped to 107/8 in the chase, never really threatening the target.
Shanaka also expressed frustration with the nature of the pitches used during the tournament. Before the event began, he had hoped that Sri Lanka’s batting-heavy lineup would benefit from good batting surfaces.
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“I said before the start of the tournament that I expected the wickets to be good for batting. Sri Lanka’s best batters are here,” Dasun Shanaka said. “We’ve picked players who have good domestic strike-rates and ability. No one is here by force,” he concluded.
Despite the disappointing result, Shanaka maintained that the squad selection was based on merit and strong domestic performances. However, he admitted that the conditions throughout the tournament made it difficult for Sri Lanka’s batters to play their natural attacking game.
