“I’m very sad as a coach that we’re not in the semi-finals”: Sanath Jayasuriya

Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya has apologised to Sri Lanka fans for the team’s woeful showing in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka were the only team in their group to finish winless, having also lost to Zimbabwe in the group stage.

Although Saturday’s loss to Pakistan was only by five runs thanks to an explosive 76 not out off 31 balls from captain Dasun Shanaka, the two previous losses - against England and New Zealand - had been more embarrassing, having come as the result of batting collapses. Sri Lanka’s performance in those matches and their consequent exit from semi-final contention had drawn the ire of Sri Lanka fans.

“I’m very sad as a coach that we’re not in the semi-finals,” Jayasuriya said. “Our 22 million people around the country really wanted us to be in that semi-final. We feel that sadness. We should say sorry and ask for forgiveness. It was in our hands and then we let it slip. I don’t know if these players will ever get the chance again to play a World Cup at home.”

After the New Zealand match, Shanaka had accused fans of creating a negative environment around the team, before himself apologising and walking back those comments in the post-match presentation three days later.

Jayasuriya immediately struck a deeply apologetic tone in his press conference after the Pakistan loss.

“I’m in anguish about the fans, because I know how disappointed they must be,” he said. “From the first match, they gave the team as much support as they could. They must be angry at us, and they must be scolding us, including on social media. Even when we go on the street they must be scolding us. But this is the only sport we have in this country. We know that. When we don’t do well, we have to understand the hurt they feel. We have to stay humble and accept our mistakes.”

Sri Lanka’s campaign had largely been derailed by injuries to key players, Jayasuriya pointed out. The absence of Wanindu Hasaranga - who busted a hamstring in Sri Lanka’s opening match against Ireland - had been particularly difficult, he said.

Seamer Eshan Malinga did not even play in the tournament, having injured his shoulder not long before the start. And quick Matheesha Pathirana also picked up a tournament-ending calf injury in the match against Australia.

“What went wrong was in the first match itself Wanindu Hasaranga got injured, and that was a big loss,” Jayasuriya said. “He’s the best player in my team and an allrounder. Then Eshan Malinga got a shoulder dislocation. After that, just as Matheesha Pathirana was starting to bowl well, he got injured. I had those setbacks, but those aren’t excuses. The replacements have to perform.

“It’s hard to find a replacement for a player like Wanindu Hasaranga. That player doesn’t exist right now. To replace a player like Matheesha Pathirana is also difficult. They players who came in weren’t quite there in the competitive moments. In the England match, we could have chased 140 in Pallekele. But we gave away wickets unnecessarily and lost. In the New Zealand game, we didn’t bat well again in Khettarama.”

Source: Espncricinfo

- Agencies