SL squad named for women’s cricket series against India

Sri Lanka Women’s cricket squad was named, with Chamari Atapattu as the skipper,  on Thursday, 6 September, for their series against touring India.

Atapattu, the team’s most prolific batsman, missed the team’s previous international assignment – the Asia Cup T20 in June – with dengue, but has since recovered and featured in a full Women’s Super League season for Yorkshire Diamonds.

Among the new faces, batsman Imalka Mendis has returned to the ODI squad for the first time in more than two years, while the selectors have also retained 17-year-old all-rounder Kavisha Dilhari, who made her ODI debut against Pakistan.

Overall, the selectors have retained 10 players from Sri Lanka’s 2017 World Cup campaign, showing their push for continuity as they build towards the next four-year cycle under new coach Harsha de Silva. The former first-class cricketer was appointed on a two-year contract last month following Hemantha Devapriya’s resignation.

The following 15-member squad has been approved by the Minister of Sports Faiszer Mustapha.

The two teams will be involved in three One Day Internationals and five Twenty20 Internationals from 11 to 25 September, in Galle, Katunayake and Colombo.

Sri Lanka Women’s Squad:

Chamari Attapattu (Captain), Prasadani Weerakkody, Anushka Sanjeewani, Nipuni Hansika, Hasini Perera, Dilani Manodara, Shashikala Siriwardena, Nilakshi De Silva, Imalka Mendis, Sripalee Weerakkodi, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhini, Ama Kanchana and Kaveesha Dilhari.

According to International Cricket Council’s (ICC) 23 July 2018 world rankings, India are in the fourth place with 112 rating points. Sri Lanka Women are in the eighth place with 62 points.

Here is the schedule of the series:

DATE                              MATCH                      VENUE

11th September, 2018      1st ODI               Galle International Cricket Stadium

13th September, 2018     2nd ODI             Galle International Cricket Stadium

16th September, 2018     3rd ODI              MCG, Katunayake

19th September, 2018     1st T20I              MCG, Katunayake

21st September, 2018      2nd T20I            Colts Grounds, Colombo

22nd September, 2018    3rd T20I             CCC, Colombo

24th September, 2018     4th T20I             CCC, Colombo

25th September, 2018    5th T20I              MCG, Katunayake