Why is Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga facing severe criticism?

Sri Lanka’s all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga is at the receiving end of severe criticism after he failed to perform for his team during their games in the home T20I series against India.

The all-rounder had a forgetful series as he took only two wickets in the first two games while also failing in the batting department.

Following his poor run in the series, former Pakistan wicketkeeping batter Kamran Akmal slammed Wanindu Hasaranga, claiming that the senior player did not look serious on the field.

“You’ve been the captain and are a match-winner. But look how he’s batted and bowled. His attitude doesn’t look serious on the field. We have seen him give everything in LPL and IPL. You need to have the same commitment while playing for your nation as well,” Akmal said.

Sri Lanka’s newly-appointed Charirth Asalanka also criticised the all-rounder without mentioning his name after the team lost the first T20I to India.

“Little disappointed with the way the middle-order batted, we could have done better. I am really disappointed with the way we batted at the death and about our middle order and lower middle order including me,” said Asalanka. “We must really improve in our batting. On this pitch, when the ball gets older, it gets really hard to bat. As professional cricketers, we have to do well. We were behind by 15-18 runs.”

It is pertinent to mention that Wanindu Hasaranga is ranked the number one all-rounder in T20Is despite Sri Lanka’s struggles in the recent games.

Reviewing his performance, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali took a jibe at Hasaranga, saying that the all-rounder considers himself to be bigger than the game of cricket.

“Number one all-rounder, Wanindu Hasaranga. I think he has become bigger than cricket. Cricket is small, he is big. He got out on the first ball by playing a poor shot. With the ball, he was taken to the cleaners by Suryakumar Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal” Basit Ali said on his YouTube channel.

Earlier this month, Wanindu Hasaranga stepped down as Sri Lanka’s T20I captain after the team’s early exit from the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024.

In his resignation letter, Hasaranga said that it was in the best interest of the team that he relinquished his duties as skipper and continued playing as a team player, according to a statement released by Sri Lanka Cricket.

“Sri Lanka will always have my utmost best efforts as a player, and I will support and stand by my team and leadership as always,” he wrote in his resignation letter.