20-member U-21 Women’s Development Squad picked

The Sri Lanka Women’s Under-21 squad 

Sri Lanka Women’s cricket under the watchful eyes of Convenor for Women’s Cricket Apsari Tillakaratne and consultant in charge of women’s cricket international and domestic operations and development Manuja Kariyapperuma have taken a step forward by forming a 20-member Under-21 Women’s Development Squad which will strengthen the pool of talent for future international commitments.

The squad was selected out of 120 players, screened via an islandwide talent hunt program. The players who were subjected to screening were already a part of the Women’s District Squads maintained by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

“For two years, we didn’t have Development Squads because of corona and other factors. But as soon as the restrictions were lifted we brought the 120 girls to four centres and picked the best out of the lot,” said Apsari. “The selection was done by the national selectors Hemantha Devapriya and Tilaka Nilmini in consultation with talent scouts Roy Dias and Charlie Warnakulasuriya and the provincial and district coaches.”

The squad is currently undergoing a three-month special training program, covering skill development and fitness training, under the watchful eyes of SLC’s district and provincial coaches. Once the players complete they will be further assessed and inducted into SLC’s Women’s District and Provincial teams to play in the SLC organised annual tournaments, which is expected to take place in March/April 2022.

“This is the new young blood, these 20 girls through the Development Squad will progress to the Emerging Squad and then to the National Squad. This is the beginning,” said Apsari.

As an incentive SLC has contracted the 20 players for a 3-month period (1 November to 31 January 2022) providing them with financial assistance.

“We will be picking a separate Under-19 squad targeting the Under 19 World Cup in 2023,” said Apsari.

The Women’s Under-21 squad: Randi Premaratna and P.D.S.H. Maheshika (both from St. Joseph’s College, Kegalle), Sansala Wanigasekara and Tharushi Rajakaruna (both from Nugawela Central, Kandy),  W.P. Nimesha Tharuni (Marapola MV, Kegalle), Nawodya Nethmini, Emoksha Bashini, Savindi Nimalsha Cooray and Manohari Nisansala (all from Wadduwa Central College, Kalutara), Sulesha Sathsarani (Devapathiraja College, Galle), Chethana Vimukthi (Pelwatte MV, Monaragala), Ayesha Dilakshani (Maspanna MV, Badulla), Lanka Thilini (Sinhala MV, Trincomalee), Shanu Baskaran (Mahajana College, Jaffna), Janani Weerakoon (Royal College, Polonnaruwa), Tharushi Sathsarani (Poramadulla Central College, Nuwara Eliya), Eranga Dissanayake (Katupotha Tissa MMV, Kurunegala), Mathurika Muralithasan (Skandavarodaya College, Jaffna), Dulanga Dissanayake and Methma Hettiarachchi (both from Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda). (ST)