Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was left heartbroken after her side suffered a five-wicket defeat against West Indies Women in Bristol on Sunday, June 22, 2026, a result that has badly hurt their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The loss means Sri Lanka now need to win their remaining two group matches and also depend on other results if they want to qualify for the last four.
It was a disappointing day for Sri Lanka, who struggled with the bat and were bowled out for just 98 runs. The West Indies chased down the target comfortably to record their third straight win of the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s batting never really got going. Captain Chamari Athapaththu managed only two runs, while wickets kept falling at regular intervals. The West Indies bowlers kept the pressure on and never allowed Sri Lanka to build any big partnerships.
In reply, West Indies made a few early mistakes but still reached the target with five wickets in hand. The win strengthened their position near the top of Group B and moved them closer to a place in the semi-finals.
For Chamari, the defeat was especially painful. The 36-year-old has represented Sri Lanka for nearly two decades and has played in every Women’s T20 World Cup since the tournament began in 2009. Despite many personal achievements during her career, she admitted that not being able to lead Sri Lanka into a World Cup semi-final remains a major disappointment.
“Actually, it’s a sadness beyond words,” Chamari said. “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.”
Despite the defeat, Sri Lanka are not completely out of the tournament. They still have matches left against Ireland and Scotland and can keep their hopes alive by winning both games.
However, they will also need other results to go their way. England and West Indies currently sit at the top of Group B with three wins from three matches and are in strong positions to qualify for the semi-finals.
Earlier in the tournament, Sri Lanka made history by beating New Zealand for the first time in a Women’s T20 World Cup match, showing what they can do when playing at their best.
When asked about her future and whether she plans to continue until the next Women’s T20 World Cup in Pakistan in 2028, Chamari said no decision has been made yet.
“For now, I can’t give any explanation about that, because with my age, now I’m 36 years old,” Chamari added. “So, with fitness and all, that’s being decided. 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.”
For now, Chamari and Sri Lanka must quickly move on from this defeat and focus on keeping their small semi-final hopes alive.
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