Netball: Western Province beat North Western Province in Dialog Rising Stars final

In the trilling final of the Dialog Netball Rising Stars 2021 tourney that was played on March 7 and 8, Western Province beat North Western Province, 23-9 to win the coveted title. 

Leading up to the finals, in the first semi-final, North Western Province beat Southern Province 34-22, while on the second semi-final, Western Province beat Uva Province 40-13 in a one-sided contest. 

Nine teams and 150 players from the nine provinces competed for supremacy at the Dialog Netball Rising Stars 2021 tourney. 

The preliminary round of the tourney was played in a league structure, while quarter-finals onwards the tourney progressed to a knockout contest. 

Third place matches and the finals were played with 40 minutes per game split into four quarters.

The tourney was organised to identify and develop new talent to the national pool who will be champions of tomorrow on the international court. 

The winning team was led by Chamudi Dilrukshi Wickramaratne.

Sri Lanka is the highest ranked netball team in Asia.

Amali Nanayakkara (Group Chief Marketing Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC), Anuradha Wijekoon (Secretary – Ministry of Youth and Sports), Limini Rajapaksa (wife of Namal Rajapaksa, the Minister of Youth and Sports and Amal Edirisooriya (Director General – Department of Sports Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports) graced the awards ceremony.