darsang shanaka Cricketers have made an unprecedented call for government intervention to protect them from “negative outside influences” after Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup tour ended in disappointment, saying the constant criticism was taking a toll on their mental health.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!With Sri Lanka’s elimination from the Super Eights confirmed by defeats to New Zealand and England, the skipper apologized to fans while also expressing disappointment at the environment surrounding the team.“As players, it’s difficult for us to control the noise outside. Most of the time, we hear mostly negative things, so no matter how positive we are, the outside world creates a negative environment,” Shanaka said after the loss to New Zealand.
Shanaka made a rare and high-profile plea urging authorities to step in for the sake of future players. “At least for the next generation of players, if the government can intervene and stop these things, I believe it will go a long way towards improving mental health,” he said.The captain said the criticism hurt not only individuals but the sport itself. “It’s a disadvantage for Sri Lankan cricket. We only have this one game. Why does negativity spread like this? Well, we lost the World Cup; we know why.”
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Shanaka also expressed his heartfelt apology to supporters for the team’s failure to deliver on its promises when it mattered most.. “We are very sorry about that. The England game was also a game that we could have won if we had been smarter. I have nothing to say to the crowd. We didn’t give them anything to win that they should be happy about,” he said.He blamed a variety of factors, including unexpected on-field behavior, injuries and fitness deficiencies. “Before the game, I expect good wickets. No one will fail; everyone comes with the intention of winning. Unfortunately, sometimes we suffer losses from small changes that we don’t even think about,” he said.Shanaka acknowledged that health remains a major concern. “I think fitness is not at its highest level. We have about four or five injuries and other teams are way ahead of us in terms of fitness,” he said, but insisted that was “not an excuse”.With the future of his captain in doubt, Shanaka remains calm. “I don’t know how long I will be captain. It’s up to the selectors. I made good decisions and made mistakes, but I’m glad I got the opportunity.”
