Lankan women out to give of their best at Under 19 World Cup
Ratnawali BMV skipper Vishmi Gunaratne receiving the under 19 Women’s cricket champion trophy from women’s cricket convenor Apsari Tillekaratne and Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association(SLSCA) President Thilak Watthuhewa .Ratnawali BMV Principal and Vice President of SLSCA Hema Jayawardena are also in the picture
Sri Lanka women’s cricket team is focused on Inaugural ICC women’s under 19 Cricket World Cup (T-20) which is scheduled to be held in January 2023 in Bangladesh
The Convenor of the Sri Lanka women’s cricket Apsari Tillekaratne said we have already formed an under 19 Cricket pool to focus on this major tournament. My duty is to pick players for this pool and I have done my duty long ago. Actually those days ICC had planned to conduct Under 19 World Cup.
But when I was appointed by SLC I had to work hard to develop women’s cricket. I was very keen to go all over the country including Northern and Eastern provinces and the talent search programme is very successful said Apsari who is working hard to develop women’s cricket.
Actually this time schools under 19 limited over cricket tournament was very successful and Ratnawali BMV Gampaha emerged champions defeating Anula Vidyalaya in the final. We saw the talented opener and Ratnawali BMV skipper Vishmi Gunaratne perform really well and I am very happyabout her skills. Ratnawali BMV is new to women’s school cricket and I met their Principal Hema Jayawardena and encouraged to start this sport. In 2017 they started Cricket and within five years they emerged champions and what a great achievement by the school. Wadduwa MMV also a new school which also started Cricket after I discussed with them those days. They reached the semi finals said Apsari Tillekaratne.
Vishmi Gunaratne is already in National team. As a 16 year old player she has very good potential to go forward. Unfortunately she is not included for the forthcoming Pakistan tour as she is expected to do O/ L exam. she is a very bright student who is keen on her studies.
Apart from Vishmi we saw several new faces and they all have a good future. Sri Lanka women’s captain Chamari Atapattu once again scored a century at the first franchise match in Dubai and she got a good chance to take part in franchise cricket like IPL and Big Bash League
We had good talent Search programme in four centres at Dambulla,Galle, Kandy and Colombo and our Women’s head coach Hashan Tillekarathne, fielding coach Lanka de Silva and spin coach Dinuk Hettiarachchi were present to see girls talents at these four centres and they have recognised talented players to be included in the National pool. The National pool already under observation of National coaches and they are playing practice matches while National women’s team also busy with practices, Development squad with emerging players have chance to get services from National coaches and Sri Lanka Cricket give all Infarstructure facilities for women’s Cricket said Apsari Tillekaratne.
School is the best place to start women’s Cricket and that is the foundation for women’s cricket .Most of the schools are now very keen to start women’s Cricket .The under 19 inter school Cricket tournament and women’s cricket big matches always encourage women cricketers .
Especially ICC women’s under 19 world cup tournament is very important and now our promising cricketers have vision and that are very keen to develop their skills to enter National under 19 team to play Inaugural world cup.
Even the National senior women’s team missed their chance to qualify for world cup this time and are now focused on Commonwealth Games as well as Asian Games and that is their short term target said Apsari Tillekaratne. We have very talented players like Vishmi and my duty is to search for talented players. Schools Cricket Association also give big support to us with SLC i am doing my best to develop women’s cricket concluded Women’s cricket convener Apsari Tillekaratne.