Squad for Asian Netball Championships announced; Former Captain on standby

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Sri Lanka netball squad

The 12 member squad that will participate in the 10th Asian Netball Championships in Thailand has been finalized by the National Selection Committee and approved by the Minister of Sports Dayasiri Jayasekara.

The 12 member squad, along with 3 players who have been put on standby, will now commence the last phase of training, at the Nawalapitiya Jayasinghe Indoor Stadium, for the Asian Championships which will take place from the 30th of July to the 7th of August.

Semini Alwis, who captained the team during the Netball World Cup in 2015, and teammate Viraji Chamarika have been named as standby players alongside Poornima Lakmali.

The selection process itself stumbled into a few roadblocks as an age restriction of Under 30 that had been imposed at the trials for the 18 member pool was done away with the intervention of the Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and the trials were held for a 2nd time in late May.

Lakmali Bandara, Gayathri Kaushalya and Naduni Jayaweera who were in the 18 member pool have missed out on the final squad.

Gayani Dissanayake, who captained the Youth Netball team to the title in the Asian Youth Netball Championships and was Alwis’ deputy at the Netball World Cup last year, is likely to be named Captain of the Senior team for the 1st time, however this appointment has not been confirmed by officials at the SLNF.

The Squad

Darshika Abeywickrama
Gayani Dissanayake
Hasitha Mendis
Thiwanka Perera
Gayanjali Amarawansa
Ruwani Yatigammana
Thilini Wattegedara
Shamali Ratnayake
Sureka Kumari
Kanchana Jayaweera
Deepika Darshani
Dulanga Dhananji

Players on Standby

Viraji Chamarika
Poornima Lakmali
Semini Alwis