World Cup netball squad slashed to 16

144 Battle of the Blues

Rev. Marc Billimoria, Warden, S. Thomas’ College, hands over the Rt. Hon. DS Senanayake Challenge Shield to Dasis Manchanayake, Captain of Royal College in the presence of His Excellency the President, Ranil Wickremesinghe. Also in photograph (L-R) Kumudu Warnakulasuriya, Co-Chair, S. Thomas’ College, Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC, (partially covered) Sumithra Waranakulasuriya, Guest of Honour – Royal College, Dr. Hans Wijayasuirya, CEO – Telecommunications Business, Axiata Group Berhad, RMM Rathayake, Principal, Royal College, Colombo, Ken De Alwis, Guest of Honour, S. Thomas’ College, Dr. K Pathmanathan, Managing Director – Taian Steel and Rehan Gunesekera, Co-Chair, Royal College.

By Susil Premalal

The National Netball Selection Committee of the Sri Lanka Netball Federation (SLNF) has taken steps to reduce the World Cup Netball 2023 Sri Lanka squad to 16.
The SLNF hopes to conduct the final selection at the end of May.

The Netball Selection Committee Chairman, Damayanthi Jayathilaka, told the “Daily Mirror” that the reduction from the 21-member national pool was done considering their performance at the recent selection trials.

Tharjini Sivalingam, who lives in Australia, has also been included in the 16-member squad.

The 2023 World Cup Netball tournament is scheduled to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from July 28 to August 6.

Sri Lanka qualified for the World Cup Netball Tournament as 2022 Asian netball champions.

Sixteen teams have qualified for the World Cup from among the five regions of the world. Sri Lanka have been drawn in Group C with Jamaica, South Africa, and Wales.
Sri Lanka will face Jamaica on July 28, South Africa on July 29, and Wales on July 30 in the preliminary round.

Sri Lanka World Cup Netball Squad: Chathurangi Jayasooriya, Gayani Disanayaka, Bashini de Silva, Gayathri Kawshalya, Shanika Perera, Gayanjali Amarawansha, Dulangi Wannitilaka, Chamudhi Wickramaratne, Rukshala Happuarachchi, Tisala Algama, Semini Alwis, Imasha Perera, Tarushi Perera, Malmi Hettiarachchi, Rashmi Perera, and Tharjini Sivalingam.