Sangakkara vents rage as Sri Lanka miss semis again, tears into team’s repeated blunders: 'Devastated, angry, hurt'

Chasing 169, Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 107, suffering their second consecutive Super 8 defeat

Published on: Feb 26, 2026, 11:13:25 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara could not hide his emotions as the co-hosts of the 2026 T20 World Cup crashed out of the tournament on Wednesday following a horror batting collapse at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo against New Zealand. Chasing 169, Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 107, suffering their second consecutive Super 8 defeat and becoming the first team eliminated at this stage.

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by 61 runs on Wednesday

Sangakkara admitted to the hurt and anguish after Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the semifinals for the fifth straight time since lifting the T20 World Cup title in 2014. The former wicketkeeper-batter was part of Sri Lanka’s golden run between 2009 and 2014, when they reached at least the semifinals in four consecutive editions, making the final in 2009 and 2012 before winning the title two years later.

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“There is a lot of hurt all round. The fans are devastated, disappointed, angry. The players are hurting badly too. I have been in similar dressing rooms. It’s not easy,” he tweeted.

However, Sangakkara did not stop at empathy. He aimed his next words squarely at the team’s repeated mistakes and inability to adapt to the evolving demands of modern cricket.

“But this responsibility comes with the turf. It’s a burden and a great privilege to represent your country and your people. There is a lot of work to be done at all levels to course correct. We can’t do the same things over and over and expect different results when the cricket world around us has evolved so quickly. We haven’t adapted and the danger is irrelevance,” he added.

Sri Lanka have struggled for consistency throughout the tournament, barring a win against Australia in the group stage. They lost to Zimbabwe in their final group match but progressed to the Super 8 as the second-placed side in the group. However, they suffered defeats in both Super 8 fixtures, including a batting collapse against England while chasing 145, when they were bowled out for 95 in 16.4 overs.

New Zealand’s victory, meanwhile, did not automatically secure their semifinal berth. They still have to beat in-form England on Friday to confirm qualification. A defeat, however, could open the door for Pakistan to advance as the second team from Group 2, provided they overcome Sri Lanka in their final match by a significant margin.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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