Isipathana fly-half Shahid Zumri is set to represent Sri Lanka in international rugby for the first time as his sizzling form has been rewarded by the national selectors when picking the Tarinda Ratwatte-led 15-man squad for the Asia Rugby Emirates Sevens Trophy in Kathmandu, Nepal on 4 and 5 October.
Zumri, who is a utility back besides being a top-notch goal-kicker, played a starring role early this month for Isipathana as they regained the President’s Trophy from St. Peter’s in the Schools Knockout final played at the Sugathadasa Stadium.
The selectors headed by former Sri Lanka half-back Sudath Sampath, in clear acknowledgement of Zumri’s sensational form for the Green Machine in the concluded schools rugby season, have fast-tracked him to the national set-up.
The two-day tournament in Nepal is a qualification event for Sri Lanka ahead of the Asian Sevens next year organised by Asia Rugby (AR).
The selection panel has selected a 15-member pool captained by the Kandy SC outside back for the forthcoming event and it is slated to be trimmed to 12 before the squad flies out to Nepal on Thursday (3), according to sources.
The 15-member squad currently consists of five players from perennial league champions Kandy SC, while reigning Clifford Cup champions Police SC have supplied four players with Army having two players.
Of the remainder of the ‘A’ Division clubs, CH & FC, Havelocks, and Air Force have contributed a player each for the upcoming competition, but a noticeable feature in the squad is the failure of both CR & FC and Navy to be represented by at least a solitary player.
Former Kingswood star Nilfer Ibrahim will be the Head Coach of the team, while former Sri Lanka centre and former Army skipper Kapila Knowlton will be the Manager.
The tournament will feature 14 men’s teams and eight women’s teams encompassing all five subregions of Asia. The men’s teams competing in this event include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. The women’s teams taking part are Guam, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, and Sri Lanka.
(JK)
Sri Lanka squad
Tarinda Ratwatte (Captain), Srinath Sooriyabandara, Heshan Jansen, Kavindu Perera, Dilan Ekanayake (Kandy SC), Akash Madusanka, Yomal Saranga, Sachith Silva, Hirantha Perera (Police SC), Sudaraka Dikkumbura, Ashan Bandara (Army SC), Janidu Dilshan (CH & FC), Darshana Dabare (Air Force SC), Dinuka Seneviratne (Havelock SC), and Shahid Zumri (Isipathana)