Sri Lanka cricket fans launch 'unfollow cricketers' campaign after defeat against England

Post the downfall after winning ICC T20 World Cup in 2014, disappointed Sri Lanka cricket fans launched a negative campaign against the country's national team on Saturday after their 89-run defeat to England in the third and final match of the T20 series. Lankans boycotted the social media pages of vice-captain Kusal Mendis and opener Dhanushka Gunathilaka after Sri Lanka faced a whitewash against England in the T20 series, as per local media reports. The 3-0 defeat to England on Saturday marked Sri Lanka's fifth consecutive series defeat. 

"The aim of the campaign is to unfollow failed Sri Lankan cricketers from their verified profiles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter," Newscenter.lk - a popular Sri Lanka media website said. 

After the heartbreaking loss, Lankan fans began sharing memes urging fellows to boycott the national team on television as well. Social media users urged citizens to unfollow cricketers who are a part of the national team even as the players are still in dispute with the Sri Lanka Cricket board over their contracts. 

Sri Lanka lose 5th consecutive series

While no player of the national team has issued an immediate reaction to the series loss, some observers posted on social media that the performance in England was one of the team's worst in three decades. England's 180 proved well beyond Sri Lanka, who were all out for 91 as left-arm quick David Willey took 3-27. After the defeat in the T20 series, Sri Lanka will face England in a three-match ODI series with the first one beginning on Chester-le-Street on Tuesday.

"We know it was always going to be tough but the batting has not been upto the mark. We are not used to the pace and bounce and the execution was not great and we need to have good back-up plans facing a team like this. We have to take responsibility and play to our strengths and that's the best way to approach these kinds of situations," Lankan skipper Kusal Perera said after the 89-run defeat against England on Saturday.