De Silva Laments Missed Opportunity for WTC Final Berth

GALLE: Sri Lanka’s cricket team captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, conveyed his disappointment on Monday regarding the team’s failure to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final.

The fresh WTC cycle is set to commence on Tuesday, featuring a match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Galle International Stadium.

During a pre-match press briefing, he mentioned that securing victories in three of their previous four Test matches would have guaranteed them a spot in the final against South Africa at Lord’s.

The 33-year-old expressed that they possessed a significant possibility to compete in the final at Lord’s, but unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize on the chance.

“We had a substantial opportunity to make the final, but regrettably, we fell short. Just yesterday, while conversing with the team, I reminded them of where we could have been (at Lord’s this week) and where we ultimately ended up,” de Silva stated.

The Sri Lankan captain voiced optimism for a robust showing in the new WTC cycle and reiterated his resolve to reach the final this time.

“As we embark on a new cycle, we understand that we must triumph in our home series and accumulate all attainable points. This home series presents a valuable chance to kick off this cycle positively,” he added.

De Silva emphasized that the onus is on the players to deliver strong performances, and there is no justification for assigning blame for not qualifying for the final.

He highlighted that the team’s objective is to prevent the recurrence of previous errors.

“As professionals, our responsibility is to adapt to any given scenario. We are obligated to perform under the prevailing conditions, and attributing blame to external factors is not an option. While we had several Test matches last year, this year’s schedule was lighter, which is beyond our control,” he concluded.