Compiled by Ishani Upatharitha
* ‘SLC Invitational T20 League’ from 12-24 August in Kandy
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is to conduct an invitational T20 league with the participation of topmost national and first-class cricketers as part of preparations for the upcoming South Africa tour of Sri Lanka in September and the T20 World Cup 2021 in October-November. ‘SLC Invitational T20 League' will be held from 12-24 August at Pallekele There will be four teams, namely the ‘Blues,’ ‘Reds,’ ‘Greens,’ and ‘Greys’ and six games for each team. The top two will qualify for the final. There will be two matches every day, at 2.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Each team will comprise of a 15-member squad. “This tournament is aimed at giving much-needed match practice to the players, ahead of the important international cricketing fixtures, and also give match exposure to the players who did not get an opportunity to play during Sri Lanka’s tour of England and also the concluded series against India,” said Ashley De Silva, CEO, SLC.
* Army Commander’s League begins
Super Fashion Northern Warriors and Event TV Western Warriors recorded wins on day-one of the second Army Commander’s League T20 Cricket Tournament which began on Saturday (31 July) at Army grounds, Dombagoda. Northern Warriors beat defending champion Dimo Southern Warriors by 61 runs before Western Warriors beat Batsman.com Eastern Warriors by 57 runs. Seekkuge Prasanna, skipper of Northern Warriors displayed an all-round performance to be adjudged the Player of the Match in the first game. Upul Tharanga, as an invitational player for Western Warriors, struck an unbeaten 100 runs in 62 balls with 14 boundaries and two sixes. Tharanga shared 101 runs for their third wicket with Gihan Keralage. The first-round will be played on 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 August. The two table-toppers after the first round will qualify for the final, which will be held from 2 p.m. on Saturday, 7 August at the same venue. All matches are streamed live on website www.batsman.com and Event TV.
* Residential camp on for SL women’s cricketers
A residential camp for Sri Lanka women’s cricketers, which began on 12 July is going on till 13 August. There are five new faces in the preliminary squad of 27 players. The camp is held at the Dambulla Stadium. The five new players in the national squad are Piyumi Wathsala (26, from Seenigama Ladies), Sachini Nisansala (18, Devapathiraja College, Rathgama), Imesha Dulani (Devapathiraja), Kavya Kavindi (17, Devapathiraja), and Vishmi Gunarathne (16, Rathnawali Balika, Gampaha). Devapathiraja, Rathgama was the national schools champion last year. Nisansala, Dulani, and Kavindi played for Seenigama Ladies’ Cricket Club in the last women’s premier season.
Sri Lanka women’s cricket squad:
Chamari Athapaththu, Hashini Perera, Nilakshi Silva, Harshitha Madhavi, Hansima Karunarathne, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kavya Kavindi, Lihini Apsara, Prasadini Weerakkody, Kaveesha Dilhari, Piyumi Wathsala, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Imesha Dulani, Inoka Ranaweera, Surangika Kumari, Malsha Shehani, Sathya Sandeepani, Inoshi Fernando, Udeshika Prabodani, Ama Kanchana, Achini Kulasooriya, Sachini Nisansala, Umasha Thimeshani, Tharika Sewwandi, Shashikala Silva, M. Meththananda, and Vishmi Gunarathne