Chalani Perera, CWG cager captain, means business
Sri Lanka’s women’s captain for the 3×3 basketball team – Chalani Perera – at next week’s Commonwealth Games (CWG) is all set and are all-out to give a run for their money.
Coincidentally, the 2022 edition would also be the first time, 3×3, one of the two formats in the fast-paced game, will be introduced in the history of the games. The format is only one quarter of ten-minutes long. The first team to reach 21, or the team leading at the end of the quarter, would be declared winners.
Speaking to the Sunday Times during a practice session of theirs, the captain said, “There was no 3×3 format in CWG prior to this. This would also be my first-ever CWG. Our aim and objective this time is to cut down our mistakes and better our results we got in the past foreign tours. Along with that, to play to our utmost best and win”.
“All of us are looking forward to giving it a fight. There are many tough teams coming. Hence, not going to be a walk-in-the-park affair,” she said of her maiden and imminent appearance at CWG.
“As a senior player, we’re setting up the team combination. To find the team combination, we’re also getting a big hand from the coaches”.
Perera, 23, having been on other foreign tours, and analysing the strengths assessed, “we have the height as well as the skill-set. If we prepare to match our strengths, height and play, we can pull off wins”.
Shedding light on weakness, she pointed out, “We have to work on our physical strength and convert that also into a strength”.
“Actually, we are still in the process of preparing. We’ve been preparing based on a practice schedule since April. Along with everything, we’re following fitness and gym sessions,” Perera, a point guard in the format, revealing the behind-the-scenes, added.
“In the remaining time, we’re looking to prepare in a way, we can play on par with our opponents. Our coaches and managers are also greatly pushing and training us hard towards it”.
The CWG this time, kicks off in Birmingham, England, in days’ time on 28.
The Lankan lasses opening game will be versus Kenya, on the opening day (29) of when the action starts.
The other teams would be – Kenya, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, British Virgin Islands, England (the host), and Scotland.
Women’s team: Chalani Perera (Capt), Nihari Perera, Taniya Sri Wickramage and Lubna Morseth.
Coach: Sivashakthi Selvaraja, Manager: Ajith Kuruppu
The CWG men’s cager contingency
Meanwhile, the men’s 3×3 Basketball team set to represent at the games would be – Rukshan Athapaththu, Arnold Brent Thevakumar, Janith Chathuranga Gamage and Simron Yogananthan.
Ex-Royalist, Athapaththu, would be the leader of the pack in the 3×3 format.
Also in the team is Arnold Thevakumar, the younger brother of the national team’s captain, Clinton Thevakumar.
The Lankan lads would be opening their campaign against Scotland on 29 of this month, when the tournament kicks off at Birmingham, England.
The team and officials will be taking wings tomorrow early morning.