The national netball selection committee yesterday (19) chose a 12-member squad to contest the ninth Netball World Youth Cup to be staged in Gibraltar from 19-28 September.

The national netball selection panel headed by Padma Baddevithana and member Vajira Pushpakumari, along with an official from the Schools Netball Association, had carried out the task during trials held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The squad selected also includes most of those who had represented the country at the Asian Youth Netball Championships which was held in Jeonju, South Korea from 27 June to 4 July this year.

However, a few of the players who played in that tournament including the vice-captain Anuththara Kaluarachchi, Bashi Udawatta, Mihidum Keerthisiri and Minagi Kankanige, had reportedly not turned out for the final trial due to examinations and related issues, sources revealed.

However, it is reliably understood that the Sports Ministry is yet to name a head coach and an assistant coach for the upcoming assignment in the Iberian Peninsula, in Europe.

Sri Lanka was trained for the recent Asian Youth Netball Championships in Korea by Hyacinth Wijesinghe with P.D.N. Prasadi as her assistant.

The 12-member Sri Lanka squad 

Chalani Neesha (Independent), Nethanga Gunaratne (SLIT), Chithera Omini (HNB), Sarani Samarakoon (Maliyadeva Girls’ School, Kurunegala), Maheshika Kasiwatta (Miliyadeva Girls’ School, Kurunegala), Manoda Ratnayaka (Seylan), Tharindi Thasara (Musaeus College, Colombo), Kasuni Wathsala (CDB Finance), Deshani Oshadi (Independent), Thumalka Ekanayaka (Maliyadeva Girls’ School, Kurunegala), Maheshika Kularatna (Mahamaya Girls’ school, Kandy) and Winuji Gunawardana (Musaeus College, Colombo).