Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu took full responsibility for her team's defeat against the West Indies, stating, "I think I'm a failure as a captain". Distraught by the five-wicket loss at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Bristol, she shared that she felt a "sadness beyond words" as the defeat put Sri Lanka on the brink of elimination.
This defeat hurts Athapaththu because it connects to her entire 18-year international career. Athapaththu refused to blame the sticky pitch or her teammates. She scored just 2 runs and admitted she needed to play more responsibly as the leader. "I think I played around 18 years for the national team, and I could never get a chance to take my team into a semi-final of a World Cup," said Athapaththu.
"Even though I have achieved many things personally, I think I'm a failure as a captain because that's a big pain for a player.” Even though Sri Lanka gave away 23 extra runs and dropped three catches, she protected her bowlers. She stated that a total of 100 runs is simply impossible to defend against a great team like the West Indies.
At 36 years old, Athapaththu dropped hints that this might be her final T20 World Cup. She said her future will depend entirely on her physical fitness and if the team still needs her. West Indies and England are currently dominating Group 2 with three wins each. Sri Lanka has only one win from three matches. To advance, Sri Lanka must win their final games against Ireland and Scotland by huge margins and pray for other results to go their way.
Sri Lanka Women lose to West Indies Women after being able to score only 98 runs in 20 overs
Sri Lanka chose to bat first on a sticky Bristol pitch but suffered a horrific collapse. West Indies captain Hayley Matthews destroyed the top order, taking three quick wickets. Sri Lanka fell to a dismal 9 for 3 within the first three overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed for just two runs.
Nilakshi de Silva fought back with a brave 30 runs off 26 balls. She paired with Anushka Sanjeewani, who made 18, to steady the collapsing ship. However, West Indies spinners quickly regained control. Wicketkeeper Shemaine Campbelle executed brilliant stumpings to clean up the lower order. Sri Lanka was bowled out for 98 runs in 19.4 overs, failing to last their full 20 overs.
Chasing a low target of 99, West Indies cruised to victory with 23 balls to spare. Skipper Hayley Matthews gave the team a flying start, scoring a quick 17 runs. Sri Lanka's bowlers failed to apply pressure as they completely lost their discipline, giving away a shocking 23 extra runs. Sri Lankan fielders made matters worse by dropping three crucial catches.
These mistakes allowed the West Indies batters to play without any pressure. Veteran batter Stafanie Taylor anchored the rest of the chase beautifully, finishing unbeaten on 27 runs. Despite losing a few late wickets to Sri Lankan spinners, West Indies easily reached 99 for 5 in 16.1 overs, sealing a comfortable five-wicket win.
