'I think I'm a failure as a captain': Chamari Athapaththu

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu has delivered a raw and emotional assessment of herself after her team’s five‑wicket defeat to West Indies in match No. 17 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Asked to bat first in Bristol, Sri Lanka never looked in control and were bundled out for just 98 in 19.4 overs. Athapaththu herself managed only two runs from six balls, and the Windies chased down the target with 23 deliveries to spare.

The chastening defeat has left Sri Lanka’s semifinal hopes hanging by a thread. With just one win and two losses from three matches, they sit second from the bottom in Group 2 with two points and a worrying net run rate of -1.913. A miraculous turnaround is now their only path to survival.

Athapaththu, playing in her 10th T20 World Cup, looked visibly distraught after the game.

"Actually, it's a sadness beyond words," Athapaththu said after the defeat to Windies. "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.

"Even though I have achieved many things personally, I think I'm a failure as a captain, because I think that's big pain for a player. Actually, now I have to be with that pain.

"I think I tried my best, I think I should have played more responsible than this and if I have played more responsible than this today, we could have won this match today. So, I regret that. Especially I don't like to blame anyone, and I think I have more responsibility as a player, as the captain of the team and as a player with more experience. So, I'm very sad, I feel like I lost my last chance."

Looking ahead, Athapaththu acknowledged the uncertainty of featuring in the next Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled for Pakistan in 2028.

"For now, I can't give any explanation about that, because with my age, now I'm 36 years old," Chamari said. "So, with fitness and all, that's being decided. So, I try my best to keep my physical fitness in a good level, and to keep my skills in a high level.

"If the team wants, I will play in the future, but with my performance level and fitness level, it will be decided if I play or not."

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 | Group 2 Points Table