Soori tipped to lead Sri Lanka at Sevens

By Shamseer Jaleel

Soori tipped to lead the Sevens outfit

Fazil Marija likely to take over the coaching job

The Director General of the Sports Ministry organised a sevens national trial at the CR and FC grounds yesterday in order to shortlist the squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham and Asian Games in China later this year.

According to a reliable source, the national selectors headed by Asoka Jayasena shortlisted 20 players for the Commonwealth Games where the deadline for submission is 30 April. The selection matches were played between four teams and the final squad of 20 will be reduced to 12 before the tour for the Games.

Former Isipathana and Kandy Sports Club sevens sensation Srinath Sooriyabandara is tipped to lead the outfit. Out of the 20 players Kandy Sports Club will be represent with 8 of them in the 20-member squad. 

In fact, Kandy SC team thrashed CH and CR combined team 47/5 in the opening encounter yesterday at Longdon Place showing they are a different class unit. Only Lavanga Perera (Injured) and Thilina Bandara could not make it to the 20. Jason Dissanayake though named could not make it to the trial as he already migrated to United Kingdom.

Thomian school boy Ovin Hettiarachchi comes in as a surprise selection but had done well at school level. Kandy Sports Club Head Coach Fazil Marija is tipped to take over the coaching job for both these events.

Probable squad (Subject to Ministry approval)

Srinath Sooriyabandara, Nigel Ratwatte, Kavindu Perera, Budima Piyarathna, Danushka Dayan, Tharinnda Ratwatte, Dilushka Dange, Heshan Jansen (all from Kandy SC) Mithun Hapugoda, Lasindu Karunathilake, Ramesh Fernando (all from Havelocks SC), Avishka Lee, Sudam Sooriyarachchi, Reza Rafaideen (CH and FC), Adeesha Weeratunga, Chathura Senevirathne (Navy SC), Ravindu Hettiarachchi, Ovin Hettiarachchi (Air Force SC), Iroshan Silva (Police SC), and Sudharaka Dikkumbura (Army SC).