JOHANNESBURG, March 10: Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore lashed out at his players after their 183-run World Cup Super Six defeat against India on Monday, accusing them of lacking fighting spirit.

“We thought we had a little bit of fight in the previous game against Australia which I was hoping was going to rebound into this game, but boy, I was pretty wrong.

“We weren’t on the same park today, he told a news conference.

India’s victory gave them 16 points and guaranteed them a place in the semifinals, along with Australia. Sri Lanka, fifth in the table with 7.5 points, must win their last game against Zimbabwe to have any chance of making the last four.

“The boys got themselves into this situation and now they must get themselves out of it,” Whatmore added.

“We’ve had a talk about it already. We can assist all we can but they know that ultimately you win or you lose by what happens in the middle.

“We all take responsibility... but at the end of the day the ones that get the pats on the back or kicks up the bums are the guys in the middle.

“They’re going to have to really dig deep.”—Reuters