Angelo speaks his heart out in resignation letter

Iconic cricketer Angelo Mathews has spoken his heart out in his letter of resignation to Sri Lanka Cricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala.Following is the full text of Angelo’s letter:

Notice of resignation as the National Captain with immediate effect

I write to you pursuant to the meeting I had with yourself and the National Selectors today where I informed of my intention to resign as the National Cricket Captain with immediate effect. I am immensely thankful to you for being extremely considerate of my reasoning and accommodative of my intended decision to resign as the National Cricket Captain with immediate effect.

In this backdrop I write to you to thank you and Sri Lanka Cricket, the members of the past administrations and the present and past selectors for their immense support, which was afforded to me during my tenure as the National Cricket Captain. 

When I was bestowed with this great honour of Captaining the Sri Lankan National Team in 2013, I was overwhelmed to say the least and if not for the immense support and trust placed in me by Sri Lanka Cricket I could not have withstood the pressures of Captaincy for a period which has now exceeded four-and-a-half years. I am also immensely thankful to the senior players who were part of the team when I took over the mantle of captaincy at a very young age. They too were always at my side to guide me when it was needed the most.

Over the last four-and-a-half years I was immensely proud to be with a team blessed with immense natural talent and unfathomable potential. I am thankful to every single player who played with me and supported the Sri Lankan Team to achieve some significant milestones in Sri Lanka’s cricketing history. We as a team were able to defeat England in all three formats in a single bilateral series in 2014; we managed to win an Asia Cup in the same year, and white wash Australia for the first time in a test series in 2016. These memories are beyond words, which I will always cherish. However, though the Sri Lankan team has not fulfilled its true potential during the last several months I personally believe that such is not owing to the lack of skill nor effort nor the lack of commitment of the players. However, as the captain I cannot turn a blind eye to the failures of our team during the last several months. In this regard I am very much concerned that we were unfortunate to lose to Zimbabwe during the recently concluded ODI series. This loss to me personally as stated previously is the lowest point in my cricketing career. On this notion after giving deep and considerate thought that I decided that it was time for me to resign as the Captain of the National Team in all formats. 

Furthermore, I was also very mindful that my resignation at this juncture, would ensure that sufficient time being given to my successor to take the National Team confidently through to the next ICC World Cup in England in 2019.

On this note I am immensely thankful to my teammates and to every member of the support staff of the National Team for their encouragement and support over the last several years. The Sri Lankan media requires a special note of appreciation for their commitment and encouragement to my team and me. The entire nation has over the years continuously backed me and the team, which has given me the most encouragement. I whole-heartedly thank every single cricket fan that has cheered us unhindered all the way.

You would also appreciate that I have at all times played in the exclusive interest of Sri Lankan Cricket and has not at anytime compromised my national duties for any personal gain. I have at all times given utmost priority to making myself available over and above any franchise commitment and has even at times pre-terminated franchise commitments to fulfilnational obligations. On this note subject to me being selected for national duty I would ensure my fullest commitment to the National Cricket Team moreover I would at all times support and guide our young and profusely talented team and my successor in every way to make our nation proud.