Netball: Sri Lanka team for Asian Netball picked sans former skipper

The team to take part in the Tenth Asian Senior Netball Championships in Thailand from July 31 to August has been passed by the Ministry of Sports. 

A significant feature of the team released on Friday (10) is that Semini Alwis, who captained the Sri Lanka team at the Sydney World Cup Netball Championship, has been left out. 

She is the daughter of Deepthi Alwis, the National Netball Coach. 

She is however has been named as a stand-bye. 

The team of 12 players has been selected from the 18 member pool. 

The 12 players and three standbys will leave to Nawalapitiya today to take part in high altitude training. 

The captain has not been selected as yet and it is likely that the senior most player Gayani Dissanayake will lead the team. 

The team: Darshani Abeywickrema (HNB), Hasitha Mendis (Navy), Gayanjali Amarawansa (HNB), Thilini Wattegedera (Air Force), Surekha Kumari (Air Force), Deepika Darshani (Navy), Gayani Dissanayake (Navy), Thivanka Perera (Air Force), Ruwani Yatigamana (LB Finance), Shamali Ratnayake (Navy), Kanchana Jayaweera (Army) and Dulangi Dananjani (Air Force). 

Stand byes: Semini Alwis (Port Authority), Purnima Lakmali (Air Force) and Viraji Chamarika (Police).