Shanaka blames negativity, seeks government help after Sri Lanka's World Cup exit

T20 World Cup: Dasun Shanaka blamed growing negativity and tough conditions after Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup exit, urging government support to protect future players as the 2014 champions crashed out following a heavy defeat at Khettarama.

Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka has blamed growing negativity around the team for their T20 World Cup exit, even calling for government support to help safeguard the future of the sport. His comments came after Sri Lanka became the first side to be knocked out of semi-final contention.

Sri Lanka’s campaign came crashing down after a 61-run defeat in front of a packed Khettarama crowd, a loss that followed earlier setbacks against Zimbabwe, England and New Zealand. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Shanaka said the pressure from outside the dressing room had become impossible to ignore.

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“A lot of times what we see and hear are negative things,” Shanaka said. “No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside. That's a big loss for Sri Lankan cricket.

“This is the only sport we have, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to protect it. If you look outside the stadium, you’ll see how many people are standing with mics, and people will say stuff without even having watched the match.”

“Why spread this negativity? Yes, we lost a World Cup, and we know the reasons. Everyone has concerns. More than talking about that and correcting it, the negativity has come to the fore.