Public demand Shammi Silva’s resignation while fans mock Sri Lanka Cricket

Captain says no matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside

Fans voice their deep outrage on sociall media

While public anger boiled over Sri Lanka’s humiliating performance on Wednesday night at the R. Premadasa Stadium against New Zealand, where they were officially eliminated from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, calls are now growing for the resignation of Shammi Silva, Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), with some alleging that he is clinging to power despite mounting failures. 

Sri Lanka’s aspirations of hosting the T20 World Cup trophy came to a crushing end following a bitter defeat. In a devastating blow to the cricket-crazy nation, a 61-run loss to the New Zealand national cricket team in the Super 8 stage sealed their fate. For the thousands of passionate supporters who packed the Colombo venue, it was a night of shattered hopes as the team’s much-anticipated resurgence on home soil failed to materialise. 

In the immediate aftermath of the early exit, Captain Dasun Shanaka, to save face, did a U-turn by blaming the critics for his own humiliating captaincy. Speaking at the post-match press conference on Wednesday evening, Shanaka lamented that the team is constantly bombarded by external noise and unwarranted public hostility. He pointed out the frustrating reality of individuals standing outside stadiums with microphones, spreading harsh judgments and criticisms without even watching the matches, making it nearly impossible for the squad to maintain a positive and focused mindset. 

“A lot of times, what we see and hear are negative things,” Shanaka said. “No matter how we as cricketers try to stay positive, there is negativity outside. That’s a big loss for Sri Lankan cricket. This is the only sport we have, and I don’t know if we’ll be able to protect it. If you look outside the stadium, you’ll see how many people are standing outside with mics, and people will say stuff without having watched the match,” Shanaka complained without uttering much on how the team lacked the discipline and the knowledge to play better. 

To make matters worse, Shanaka turned to the government for help to avoid public criticism and to protect the future generation of players. 

Shanaka made a strong plea for authorities to intervene in the sporting culture. He directly asked the government to step in and help stop the toxic environment of relentless public bashing in order to protect the mental health of the athletes. “We will play and leave, but for the players who will come in the future, if the government can even stop it, that’s better for their mental health,” Shanaka said, emphasising that the current atmosphere is causing immense psychological strain and is actively damaging the future of the sport in the country. 

Meanwhile, the patience of the Sri Lankan public has completely run out. Fans, suffering from years of administrative instability and repeated on-field failures, immediately took to social media to express their profound outrage. Trending hashtags and furious posts dominated digital platforms across the country, with supporters overwhelmingly urging SLC Chairman Shammi Silva to resign immediately and add brand new players in the national team. 

Some fans even blamed Shammi for holding on to the post ‘selfishly for personal gains’ while neglecting the sport entirely and strengthening its future. This is not the first time Shammi has come under shameful allegations and his resignation been demanded. In 2023, the former government and former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the entire Sri Lanka Cricket Board headed by Shammi Silva in the aftermath of the national team’s heavy defeat to India in the World Cup series back then. 

Following this defeat, there was a huge public outcry for Shammi and the SLC board to resign, while several public protests were also organised outside Sri Lankan Cricket, calling for Shammi and the team to return home. 

Ranasinghe was later sacked, and the court reinstated the SLC administration, including Shammi as the President and Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket. 

Shammi Silva was re-elected unopposed as the President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for his fourth consecutive term (2025–2027) during the Annual General Meeting on March 31, 2025. However, with public anger now growing at the humiliating defeats of the national cricket team, only time will tell if Shammi will finally resign or continue to hold the seat of Sri Lanka Cricket, which was once a pride to all Sri Lankans.