The Sri Lankan senior national squash contingents have taken wing to Malaysia to participate in the 23rd Asian Senior Squash Championship, to be held from 17th to 21st June 2025 at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak.
This prestigious championship is organized by the Asian Squash Federation under the patronage of its President, Mr. Duncan Chiu (Hong Kong, China), and features participation from 27 member associations. The event is expected to bring together Asia’s top squash players in both the men’s and women’s categories, representing their respective countries.
Sri Lanka’s hopes are nothing short of securing a medal, with the four highest-ranked players on the island competing for glory. Much is expected from squash ace and current national champion Ravindu Laksiri, along with rising star Nevindu Lakman. Laksiri, who has held the national champion title for 12 consecutive years, is the most experienced player in the Sri Lankan contingent.
Ravindu Laksiri enters the 49-player men’s individual event seeded 11th, based on his Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Ranking of 107. Renowned for his highly technical playing style, agility, speed, and court craft, Laksiri is expected to pose a formidable challenge to any top player in Asia. His exceptional game-reading ability and anticipation of opponent movements will offer him a competitive edge in closely fought matches.
Nevindu Lakman, a young talent, has already made history as the first Sri Lankan boy to break into the top three of the Asian Under-19 rankings. Now setting his sights on the senior stage, he enters the tournament ranked 422 in the PSA World Rankings and is seeded 32nd. Lakman is currently training under Janitha Maduranga, and both he and Laksiri are proud alumni of D.S. Senanayake College.
In the women’s competition, 38 players will compete for the title. Sri Lanka’s female players, Chanithma Sinaly and Yeheni Kuruppu, are closely matched in ranking and skill. Sinaly, the current national champion, is seeded 19th with a PSA ranking of 184, while Kuruppu, the national runner-up, is seeded 20th with a PSA ranking of 185. In the National Women’s Open Championship held this January, Sinaly triumphed over Kuruppu in a tense final with a 3-1 victory. Sinaly hails from Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo, while Kuruppu represents Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo.
This championship also presents a valuable opportunity for Sri Lanka’s top racquet talents to gain international exposure and valuable PSA ranking points. However, it will also be an acid test, as the best players from across Asia are competing. In past editions, Malaysia and Hong Kong have dominated, both in terms of championship titles and top regional rankings. Additionally, regional powerhouses India and Pakistan, along with the highly skilled and fast-paced Japanese team, are expected to offer tough competition.
In the previous edition of the tournament, Ng Eain Yow of Malaysia and Chan Sin Yuk of Hong Kong claimed the men’s and women’s championships, respectively.
