Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup journey ended in dismal fashion. Co-hosts who stunned Australia in groups crumbled under Super 8 pressure, losing to England and then New Zealand. The writing was on the wall – tournament over, questions abound.
Ex-allrounder Farveez Maharoof vented to ESPNcricinfo with unfiltered candor. ‘Destructive, agonizing, mortifying,’ he labeled the performances. Targeting batsmen, he noted, ‘Easy outs galore, bar Nissanka. Echoes the England collapse perfectly.’
Maharoof bemoaned chronic issues. ‘This pattern persists 7-8 years: fleeting success, inevitable crash. Time to end it.’ His plea to selectors was direct: ‘Reflect deeply before next series. Talent-driven selections. Hard choices ahead – no action would stun me.’
The Australia win had fueled fantasies; Super 8 flops shattered them. Sri Lanka’s last hurrah against Pakistan hits February 28 in Pallekele – meaningless now.
As recriminations fly, Maharoof’s words cut deep. Sri Lankan cricket teeters. Bold reforms could revive fortunes; inaction risks further decline. The path forward demands courage and clarity.