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'I am a failure as captain': Sri Lanka's 18-year veteran left heartbroken after 'missing' another T20 World Cup semi-final originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu admitted she feels like a "failure as captain" after her side missed out on the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals.
- Athapaththu said the disappointment of not leading Sri Lanka into a World Cup last-four remains her biggest regret after 18 years in international cricket.
- The veteran added that she may have missed her best chance to achieve the milestone.
Chamari Athapaththu fears another missed World Cup semi-finals chance for Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan women's team captain, Chamari Athapaththu, felt extremely heartbroken after their T20 World Cup semi-finals hopes were jeopardised following Sunday's five-wicket defeat to West Indies.
SL-W defeated New Zealand by the same margin but the earlier loss to England by 87 runs cumulatively puts the team second from bottom in Group B with just 2 points and a negative net run rate.
"It's sadness beyond words. I think I played around 18 years for the national team, I could never get a chance to take my team into a semifinal of a World Cup," Athapaththu expressed her disappointment.
The star player confessed that, despite all of her success, the failure to lead Sri Lanka to the semi-final of the World Cup is what she considers her greatest disappointment throughout her entire career.
"Even though I achieved many things personally, I think I'm a failure as a captain, because I think that's a big pain for a player. Actually, now I have to be with that pain," the captain admitted.
MORE:Can India qualify for semifinals in Women's T20 WC 2026?
Sri Lanka at Women's Cricket World Cups: Semi-final record
Sri Lanka Women have never reached the semi-finals at both the Women's ODI World Cup and the Women's T20 World Cup.
| Tournament | Years | Best result |
|---|---|---|
| Women's ODI World Cup | 1997, 2000, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2025 | Quarter-finals (1997) |
| Women's T20 World Cup | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2026* | Group stage |
MORE:Will Ben Stokes play in ENG vs NZ 3rd Test?
What next for Chamari Athapaththu and Sri Lanka?
The emotional outburst by Athapaththu depicts the frustration of a player who had dedicated almost 20 years of her life trying to reach glory through the World Cup with Sri Lanka. Despite her disappointment, Athapaththu leads the team as a respected figure in women’s cricket.
As for Sri Lanka, they are not mathematically out yet, but their chances of making the semis are minuscule.
As only the top two teams of each group make it through to the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup, the top two of Group B - England and West Indies - both have 6 points each, along with a positive NRR.
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