Women batters full of confidence
View(s):By David Stephens
The coach of the Sri Lankan women’s cricket team, Harsha de Silva, expressed extreme confidence in his team’s chances of winning the ICC Women’s World Cup, which is set to get under way next week in India, following a very fruitful period of preparation in the lead-up to the international tournament.
Sri Lanka women cricketers prior to their departure to India yesterday morning. - Pics by Amila Gamage
“Preparation has been good. I’ve been working with the squad since November. We are going into the tournament to win the World Cup. We are quite confident we can win this because we are playing in almost home conditions in India,” De Silva stated.
He said that his team’s hopes of returning home with silverware were further buoyed by the balanced nature of the side, which boasts of a complementary mix of wily veterans and talented young guns.
The final team of 15 was constructed after an initial squad of 30 players was selected, following the conclusion of the women’s domestic club tournament. In its pre-tournament preparation, the women’s team has pitted itself against a number of highly-skilled teams, including Under 15 and Under 17 District and Provincial teams as well as several international sides.
Harsha de Silva
“We have played the T20 World Cup, so we’ve had a chance to see other teams. But it was a different format. I personally feel our team is much better suited for the longer version,” the coach explained.
“Every team is a work in progress and I’m very happy with the progress they have made under me in the last three years.”
De Silva explains that aside from the national outfit, women’s cricket too has grown in the country, and although there are still only about 400 to 500 players active in the local league, more are taking to the sport with a steady structure for talent identification and development in place.
Sri Lanka, captained by Shashikala Siriwardena, has been drawn into Group A of the tournament alongside England, West Indies and host nation India. Their first fixture will be against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 2.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus