Former England captain and renowned commentator Nassar Hussain has expressed his views on Sri Lanka captain Chamari Atapattu's statement that despite her personal talents as a player, she has failed as a leader.
Chamari is not a defeated leader at all, but a role model who will shape the future generation, he says, and she is a brand that has completely changed the course of Sri Lankan women's cricket history.
Nassar Hussain said this in an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Chamari Atapattu expressed her disappointment after Sri Lanka's defeat to West Indies in the Women's T20 World Cup. She said that it was a great regret that she could not take the Sri Lankan team to even the semi-finals of a World Cup in her 18-year international cricket career.
Elaborating further on the rise of Chamari Atapattu, Nassar Hussain said:
''I think it is unfair to judge Chamari's success or failure based on championship wins. Chamari Atapattu is not just a match-winning player. She is a brand of Sri Lankan cricket. She has consistently performed well over the past few years. Her dedication to the game has directly paved the way for a new awakening in Sri Lankan girls' cricket. Today, thousands of young girls in Sri Lanka are inspired to enter the game of cricket by watching Chamari's achievements.
"She has proven her unique ability to lead the team to victory by scoring a century in the very next match, without flinching after a defeat. The seeds she sows today will bear fruit in the future."