Two changes in Sri Lanka’s women’s squad for Pakistan tour

By Bipin Dani

It is learnt that Sri Lankan women’s team selectors have proposed two changes for the forthcoming tour of Pakistan. 

According to well-placed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources, a squad of 15 players and eight support staff has been submitted to the sports ministry for approval.

The 21-year-old left-arm medium-pacer Tharika Sewwandi and the young teen Vismi Rajapaksha, who were part of the last tour of Malaysia, have been replaced by Achini Kulasuriya and Imesha Dulani. Both Achini and Imesha were standbys in Malaysia. The players are scheduled to begin their training today. 

SLC has appointed Rear Admiral Nishantha de Silva of the Sri Lanka Navy as manager of the women’s team for the tour. De Silva also serves as the Navy’s Director-General of Logistics.

The team is likely to leave for Pakistan on May 18, and all six matches (three T-20Is and three ODIs) will be played from May 24 to June 5 at the Southend Club in Karachi.

The Sri Lankan women’s team is likely to be led by Chamari Atapattu, who, with Udeshika Prabodhani, is taking part in the first privately-funded Fairbreak Global Women’s T20 Invitational tournament in the UAE. They will return to Sri Lanka on May 16 after playing in the event, which runs from May 1-15 in Dubai. 
The squad will no longer be required to be quarantined in Pakistan.