"Worst performance ever" - Muttiah Muralitharan on Sri Lanka's 2023 World Cup campaign

Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan has labeled the team's 2023 World Cup campaign as the "worst performance ever" and blamed a "lack of commitments" for it.

Sri Lanka finished ninth among 10 teams in the ICC event India. The Lankans have finished second from the bottom four times previously - 1975, 1983, 1987, and 1992.

That was followed by a golden period where Sri Lanka won the title in 1996, finished runners-up twice in 2007 and 2011, and reached the semi-finals in 2003.

“I would say that ever since we got the World Cup qualification in 1975, this is our worst performance ever. I think it’s because of the lack of commitments. I don’t know what happened in the middle but the fact remains that they weren’t good enough,” Muralitharan told News18.

Sri Lanka came to the 2023 World Cup with good form behind them, having cantered through the Qualifiers and taking a runners-up finish at the 2023 Asia Cup despite battling with injuries.

More injuries struck during the World Cup, with captain Dasun Shanaka also sidelined, and their campaign never quite got going after two wins.

---

"There shouldn’t be any personal agendas involved" - Muralitharan on off-field controversies

The World Cup debacle was followed by off-field controversies, with the ICC banning Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC), the board being at loggerheads with the country's sports ministry, and reports of players like Wanindu Hasaranga not getting a chance at the World Cup despite being fit.

Muralitharan called for sanity, asking President Ranil Wickremesinghe to help clear the mess.

“We need to understand that there shouldn’t be any personal agendas involved. It’s about the future of those young prospects who want to play cricket for their country and live the life of a cricketer. Both sides need to think about these cricketers and sort out this problem amicably and bring back the glory we had before,” the former off-spinner stated.

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe was sacked on Tuesday. Harin Fernando has replaced him at the helm, raising hopes for a lifting of the ICC sanctions.