SL Women cricketers given new contracts, Atapattu only player in ’A’ Grade

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) on Tuesday awarded 20 National Women cricketers with six-month central contracts while 15 emerging Women cricketers have also been contracted.

Out of the three players who received ‘A’ Grade contracts last October, only Captain Chamari Atapattu retained it, with Inoka Ranaweera dropping down to ‘B’ Grade and Shashikala Siriwardene retiring after the Women's T20 World Cup in March.

Meanwhile, Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Nilakshi de Silva and Sugandika Kumari retained their ‘B’ Grade contracts, a category that also includes Udeshika Prabodhani, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Madavi who were previously in the ‘C’ Grade.

The 15 emerging players will be given a fixed monthly rate and an attendance allowance, a SLC media release stated.

Contracted National Women’s Players:

(Group ‘A’): Chamari Atapattu. (Group ‘B’): Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Nilakshi de Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Madavi. (Group ‘C’): Dilani Manodara, Prasadini Weerakkody and Kavisha Dilhari. (Group ‘D’): Ama Kanchana, Imalka Mendis, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Madushika Meththananda, Umesha Thimashini and Sathya Sandeepani.

(Contracted Emerging Women’s Players): Malsha Shehani, Lihini Apsara, Tharika Sewwandi, Jimanjalee Wijenayake, Harshani Wijeratne, Shashikala Silva, Sachini Nisansala, Iresha Sandamalee, Tharuka Shehani, Nilkashana Sandmini, Rose Perera, Janadi Analee, Shikari Niwarthana, Thilishiya Sathsarani and Saduni Nisansala.