Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has called for government intervention to curb what he described as a growing culture of negativity surrounding the national cricket team, following Sri Lanka’s exit from the T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka were eliminated from the tournament on Wednesday after a heavy defeat to New Zealand, which confirmed their exit from the group stage. Chasing 169 for victory, the side collapsed to 46 for 5 by the 11th over and never recovered, leading to fans booing them off the field.
Speaking after the defeat, Shanaka acknowledged the team’s responsibility for the loss but said the level of criticism had created a damaging environment for players.
“Actually, when considering this World Cup, Paddy Upton worked with us and we had huge support from him. As players, it’s very hard for us to control the outside noise,” Shanaka said.
He said that despite attempts to maintain a positive environment within the dressing room, players were constantly exposed to criticism from the public and media.
“We mainly hear negative stuff. No matter how positive we are as players, there is a negative environment created from the outside. That’s a disadvantage for cricket in Sri Lanka,” he said.
Shanaka went on to question the culture of public scrutiny directed at the team and suggested the state should intervene.
“We only have this game and I don’t think this could be saved. When you go outside after this, you will also see how many are out there holding mics to criticise. So why is the negativity being spread like this?” he asked.
“Okay, we lost a World Cup; we know the reasons. We all have concerns. But negativity has come forward more than rectifying the issues,” he added.
He went on to call for authorities to step in, particularly to protect younger players from the psychological impact of criticism.
“At least for the players coming up next, if the government could interfere and stop those, I believe that will be a great help for better mental health,” Shanaka said.
Shanaka’s call for government intervention has raised concerns over attempts to limit public criticism and scrutiny. Sri Lanka has a long history of political involvement in sport and media, with state authorities exerting influence over institutions and public discourse. Calls to restrict criticism risk further undermining freedom of expression.