Sri Lanka looking for a final show down in Thailand

By Shamseer Jaleel

Sri Lanka’s sevens outfit will welcome the return of their skipper, Fazil Marija, at the Asian Sevens Series in Thailand this weekend. 

This tournament will take place at SCG Muang Thong stadium in Bangkok on 26 and 27 September. The touring outfit which will leave to Thailand late night today will be looking forward for an improved performance compared to China sevens seedings (number 4) probably a Cup final show. The final leg will be hosted by Sri Lanka on 10 and 11 October at the Race Course rugby grounds in Colombo.

The touring squad consists of seven players from the Kandy with Havies (2) and CR&FC (2) and one player from Navy SC. Sri Lankan pool who spent last weekend in Down South at a team building event will be led by former England sevens player Matthew Turner. Sri Lanka will play Taipei (1.52 pm) and Hong Kong (4.22 pm)

Sri Lanka Skipper Fazil Marija told the Daily FT: “We are looking for a final berth in this tournament. We will have Hong Kong in our same group and this is a positive thing for us. We will get a chance to play twice, once in the group stage and the other in the knock outs. We have a balanced side and all players in peak form and I will be looking forward for a show in the Cup Final.”

 Touring squad

Fazil Marija (Capt), Shehan Pathirana, Gayan Weeraratne, Srinarth Sooriyabandara, Anurudha Wilwara, Richard Dharmapala and Nigel Ratwatte (all from Kandy), Sudharshan Muthuthanthri,Dhanushka Ranjan (from Havies), Jason Dissanayake and Kanchana Ramanayake (CR&FC), Dinusha Chathuranga (Navy SC)

Pool A-Kazakhstan, Singapore, Japan

Pool B-Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Taipei

Pool C-Philippines, UAE, South Korea

Pool D-Malaysia, Thailand, China