Sri Lanka to face Zimbabwe on July 12
The Sri Lanka netball squad with officials after a training session in Colombo
The 15th INF World Cup Netball Championships will take place from July 12 to 21 in Liverpool, England.
Sixteen countries, including Sri Lanka will take part in the championships. The first six in the World Netball Rankings are defending champions Australia (No1), England (No 2), New Zealand (No 3), Jamaica (No 4), South Africa (No 5) and Malawi (No 6).
The remaining ten teams are from five regions apart from Europe, Scotland and Northern Ireland. From Oceania there is Fiji and Samoa, Africa is represented by Uganda and Zimbabwe, Trindad and Tobago and Barbados are from Americas while Sri Lanka and Singapore are from Asia. They are all regional champions and runners-up.
Sri Lanka have been draw in Group A with Australia, Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe. Group B consists of New Zealand, Malawi, Barbados and Zimbabwe. Jamaica, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji are in Group C. Group D consists of England, Uganda, Scotland and Samoa.
Sri Lanka will face Zimbabwe on July 12, the opening day of the championship. On July 13, Sri Lanka will take on Northern Ireland and on July 14, Sri Lanka will meet Australia.
The championships commenced in 1963. Sri Lanka has taken part in nine editions. They did not take part in 1967, 1971, 1975,1979 and 2007. In 1963 Sri Lanka occupied the ninth place. In 1983 Sri Lanka were placed 14th. In 1987 Sri Lanka were 16th. In 1991 Sri Lanka were 15th and in 1995 19th. In 1999 Sri Lanka were 21st. In 2003 Sri Lanka was placed 18th. In 2011 Sri Lanka were 14th and in the last edition 2015 Sri Lanka were 16th.
The Sri Lanka team is currently in England to get acclimatised and to play practice games. Their target is to be amongst the top ranked countries in the world.
“We are taking part in the INF World Netball Championships as a strong team from Asia. We are hoping to make a big difference, especially in World Netball Rankings,” said Sri Lanka Netball Captain Chathurangi Jayasooriya.
Jayasooriya led the Sri Lanka winning team at the 2018 Asian Netball Championships in Singapore. She represents Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club. Jayasooriya possesses 43 international caps, two World Championships (2011 and 2015), three Asian Championships and one Asian Youth Championship. She has played as a Goal Defender (GD) and Goal Keeper (GK).
“As Asian champions, we have come a long journey. It is after nine years that Sri Lanka emerged Asian champions, which is a great achievement. We hope to present what the country expects from us at the championships,” said Jayasooriya.
The team is coached by the Thilaka Jinadasa. She has been coaching the Sri Lanka team since 2018. In 2009, Sri Lanka emerged Asian champions under her guidance. In 2012, 2014 and 2016, Sri Lanka did not enjoy success, but after she accepted the post of National Netball Coach in 2018, Sri Lanka emerged Asian Netball champions again.
In the INF World Rankings, she has brought the Sri Lankan team to the 19th spot from 25th, out of 41 countries.
“My main target is to bring Sri Lanka into the World top ten. I think it is possible with the team we have. Australia, current world champions is in our group. The team is very strong and we are in a position to create a difference,” said Jinadasa. Continuing she said that in the first round Sri Lanka hopes to record wins over Zimbabwe and Northern Ireland who is ranked 9th and Zimbabwe ranked 14th.
The manager of the team is Trixie Nanayakkara, an experienced netball administrator, former national player, former national coach and international referee. She is a former president of the Sri Lanka Netball Federation.
Australia was champions on 11 occasions.
The Sri Lanka team:
Chaturangi Jayasooriya (Capt – SL Air Force), Gayani Dissanayake (Vice-Capt, HNB), Tharjani Sivalingam (Seylan Bank), Dharshika Abeywickrema (HNB), Hasitha Mendis (SL Navy), Deepika Dharshani (SL Navy), Nouchali Rajapakse (National Institute of Sports Science), Dulangi Wannitillake (SL Navy), Dulanga Dhananji (SL Air Force), Elilenthini Sethukavalar (Citizens Development Business Finance), Gayanjali Amarawansa (HNB) and Thilini Wattegedera (SL Air Force).
Thilaka Jinadasa (Coach). Trixi Nanayakkara (Manager).