Sri Lanka squandered a golden opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as a dramatic batting collapse condemned them to defeat in a crucial Group ‘B’ encounter against West Indies.

There was genuine optimism heading into the Bristol clash. Sri Lanka had beaten the same opposition in a bilateral series in the Caribbean earlier this year and just days before, had stunned defending champions New Zealand in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. But on Sunday, their campaign unravelled spectacularly as they were bundled out for a paltry 98.

The top order, which has been the backbone of Sri Lanka’s success, failed when it mattered most. Chamari Atapattu, Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama were all back in the pavilion inside the first two overs, leaving the innings in tatters before it had even begun. Sri Lanka never recovered from the early blows.

An emotional Atapattu struggled to hide her disappointment after the game.

“Actually, it’s a sadness beyond words,” she said.

“I have played for the national team for around 18 years and I have never had the opportunity to take my team into a World Cup semi-final.

“Even though I have achieved many things personally, I feel I have failed as a captain because that is the biggest pain for a player.

“Now I have to live with that pain.

“I tried my best, but I should have played with more responsibility. Had I done that today, we could have won this match.

“I regret that deeply. I don’t like to blame anyone. As captain, as a senior player and as the most experienced member of the team, I have to take responsibility.

“I am not sure what the future holds for me. I am 36 now and it feels like I have lost my last chance.”

Sri Lanka coach Jamie Siddons felt a total in the region of 130 would have given his side a fighting chance.

“We knew our spinners could have an impact and a score of around 130 would have been handy. We simply didn’t absorb the pressure well enough and our batting let us down,” Siddons said.

The Australian also pointed to Sri Lanka’s demanding fixture list but refused to use it as an excuse.

“I would have preferred a lighter schedule. We started against England, the hosts, then faced defending champions New Zealand and our third game was against former champions West Indies.

“But having said that, when you play in a World Cup, you have to be prepared for challenges like these.”

Sri Lanka trained at Mill Hill School in Somerset yesterday and will take on Ireland today in Bristol before travelling to Manchester for their final Group ‘B’ fixture against Scotland.

Technically, Sri Lanka are still in the hunt for a semi-final berth, but qualification is no longer in their own hands. Sunday’s defeat may well be remembered as the opportunity that slipped away.

Rex Clementine in Bristol

Sri Lanka had the consolation of winning a single medal at the Asian Relay Championship in Shangyu, China, thanks to a spirited effort from the men’s 4×400 metres team while the men’s 4×100 metres team rewrote the national record books with a historic performance.

‎The men’s 4×400 metres quartet of Omel Shashintha Silva, Kalhara Idupa, Sadew Rajakaruna and veteran campaigner Kalinga Kumarage combined brilliantly to win the bronze medal in a time of 3 minutes 03.33 seconds.

‎Vietnam emerged champions with a championship record time of 3:02.60, while hosts China claimed the silver medal. India, one of the pre-race favourites, had to settle for fifth place.

‎Sri Lanka’s medal-winning effort highlighted the strength in the one-lap event, with the experienced Kumarage guiding a youthful team to a place on the podium against some of Asia’s strongest relay nations.

‎The men’s 4×100 metres relay team also delivered a memorable performance despite narrowly missing out on a medal. Chamod Yodasinghe, Merone Wijesinghe, Chalith Piyumal and Dineth Induwara clocked a stunning 38.63 seconds to finish fourth and shatter the long-standing national record of 39.08 seconds set at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

‎In doing so, the quartet became the first Sri Lankan men’s sprint relay team to break the 39-second barrier, marking a significant milestone for the country’s sprinters.

‎The women’s 4×400 metres relay team also earned praise for a spirited display. Despite seeing their medal hopes dashed following a protest, the Sri Lankan athletes fought valiantly and demonstrated remarkable determination throughout the race. (RF)

The British School in Colombo emerged as the winners at the Inter International Schools Under-12 Tennis Championship 2026, held at the Colombo Queens Tennis Club from June 20 to 21, winning both the boys’ and girls’ team titles.

‎Gateway College Colombo finished as runners-up in the girls’ competition, while Lyceum International School, Panadura claimed the runners-up position in the boys’ category.

‎Pictures show the boys’ and girls’ Under-12 championship teams of British School in Colombo after their title-winning performances at the tournament. (Pix by Kamal Wanniarachchi)