Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

West Indies women cricketers to tour Sri Lanka from May 13

- By Lakshman Ranasinghe

West Indies Women’s cricket team is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka this month to play 4 One Day Internatio­nals and three T20 matches.

Sri Lanka lost the ODI Series but won the T20 series against Pakistan last year. At the Women’s World Cup in 2013 Sri Lanka were ranked 5th but dropped to the 7th position at the conclusion of the tournament. The national women’s selectors had already picked a squad of 14 players with seven stand-bys. Chamari Atapattu will lead Sri Lanka women and Eshani Lokusuriya will be her deputy. Apart from the captain and vice captain much is expected from experience­d players in the caliber of Sashikala Siriwarden­a, Dilani Manodara, Inoka Ranaweera and Sripali Weerakkody with their fighting qualities as allrounder­s.

With a strong batting line-up and a well balanced bowling attack with three left-arm orthodox spinners and an off spinner this all-round outfit can cause problems to any strong women’s team.

In this series the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ODIs will be closely monitored as they are ICC fixtures and a series win here will gave a chance to Sri Lanka to improve their position in the world rankings.

West Indies start the tour on May 13 when they meet the hosts in the first ODI to be played at the R. Premadasa Internatio­nal Cricket Stadium. The second match of the series is also to be played at the RPICS on May 15 and the third and fourth ODIs too will be played at the same venue on May 18 with May 20, 16, 19 and 21 are Rain Reserve days. This will be followed by the three T20 matches at the same venue on May 23, 25 and 26.

All matches will commence at 10 a.m. except the last T20 match which is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Two practice wicket for each team will be allocated for both the Windies and Sri Lanka teams with nine practice sessions for each side from May 11 to 24 excluding match days and reserve days.

Chamari Attapattu (Captain), Eshani Lokusuriya (V. Captain), Prasadini Weerakkody, Nipuni Hansika, Sanduni Abeywickre­ma, Dilani Manodara, Sashikala Siriwarden­e, Sripali Weerakkody, Ama Kanchana, Inoka Ranaweera, Suganthika Kumari, Lasanthi Madushani, Chaturani Gunawarden­e and Maduri Samuddika

Yasoda Mendis, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Achni Kulasooriy­a, Hasini Perera, Chamari Polgampola and Nilakshi Perera.

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