Our aim is to retain Asian title, says Prasadi

I have a big challenge as head coach of the National Netball team and my aim is to build up the team for the next Asia Cup Netball Championships said newly appointed National Netball head coach P.D.N Prasadi in an exclusive interview with the “Daily News” yesterday.

Prasadi the former National player who also has vast experience as a coach after retiring from the game said we are current National Asian Cup champions and we want to retain the title and we are focused on that.

This is the first time I was appointed head coach to focus on Asia Cup and I had good memories as a Champion Asia Cup member and compared to those days today’s players have very good facilities but most important is to get international match exposure before the Asia Cup in next September in UAE added Head coach Prasadi who is a former Sri Lanka Army player as well as Army team coach.

I served as National coach at the recently concluded Nation Cup tournament in Singapore and that was my first assignment as National coach. However my team was not succeeful and won only one game against Cook Islands and lost to both Singapore A and B teams. This time we have big responsibility as defending champions want to retain the title but for th first time the Asia Cup will be played in UAE. Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL) have picked a new look 18-member squad targeting the Asian Championship next year after conducting trials on last December 21 at Sugathadasa Stadium.

The selection committee headed by Padma Beddewela worked hard to select 18 member squad and on January 4 the pool players have to face medical test and our tranning will commence from January 8 at Torrighton grounds. The new look squad comprise few experienced campaigners, like Semini Alwis, Gayani Dissanayake, Hasitha Mendis, Dulangi Wannithilake and Gayanjali Amarawansha and both Hasitha Mendis and Gayani Dissanayake recalled to the squad after last Nation Cup. Gayani Dissanayake was involved with Malaysian league while Hasitha Mendis had family commitments and both of them lost chance to play Nation Cup. In fact Chathurangi Jayasuriya, Asian best shooter Tharjini Shivalingam and Malmi Gunasekara who were in the Asia Cup champion team already retired from this sport and new look.Sri Lanka team will play next Asia Cup added Coach Prasadi .

Rashmi Perera, Imasha Perera, Shanika Perera, Gayathri Kaushalya and Reshanai Sasadara are the new players included in thie squad while all other players were in the Nation Cup tour of Singapore. Some people are pointed out our Netball team failure but we have to build up step by step and everyday we couldn’t defend from players like Tharjini Shivalingam who was the 6feet 11 Inches tall player now based in Melbourne. I wanted to discuss with my new squad and first of all wanted to make their confidence and already discussed with NFSL officials to get more international exposure for the National team. We have enough time but wanted to continue game with more local and international matches before the Asia Cup.

The experience couldn’t get with short period and playing matches, continue training and maintaining fitness are the key areas to look with the support of NFSL said Prasadi the head coach. The senior players like Gayani Dissanayake, Gayanjali Amarawansha, Dulangi Wannitilleka, Semini Alwis Hasitha Mendis have to use their maximum effort and young players have to come up with seniors. Keeping fitness also very important while we are expected to get Kelaniya University Indoor Stadium for practices after from Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium and hope NFSL will do all support to success of the team said Head coach Prasadi.

Sri Lanka National team played Asia Cup under the guidance of Thilaka Jinadasa and Haysinth Wijesinghe earlier and now it has to do under guidance of Prasadi while Prasadi was a earlier Assistant coach of the National team during Asia Cup and new role will start difficult journey but all three parties players, coaches and officials are get together to reach their goal.

Sri Lanka 18-member Netball Squad: Semini Alwis, Gayani Dissanayake, Hasitha Mendis, Dulangi Wannithilaka, Gayanjali Amarawansha, Bashini de Silva, Rashmi Perera, Imasha Perera, Shanika Perera, Rukshala Hapuarachchi, Susima Bandara, Rashmi Divyanjali, Gayathri Kaushalya, Hansima Dissanayake, Sachini Rodrigo, Umayangana Dilshani, Samindi Rasangi and Reshani Sasadara.

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