Sri Lanka go for Masters' World Cup with a goal

Sri Lanka Over-35 men’s and Over-40 men’s and women’s hockey teams will leave for the Masters Hockey World Cup, which starts at University Boulevard, Nottingham, England, next Friday, aiming to finish among the top 10 this time. “Since we’re playing with all the heavyweights, we’re trying our best to come under the top 10, this time. That’s the plan. To become number eight, it would be a dream come true,” said Duncan Devendra, a past sticker for Sri Lanka, travelling as a player cum manager.

This time Sri Lanka will field three teams. Of the three, the Over35 of the men’s, pooled in Group ‘A’ alongside hosts England, South Africa, Spain and Ghana. They will be opening their account on the opening day of the tournament against Spain. Prasanna Heenatigala will lead the side. On the other hand, the men’s Over40 team, also in Group ‘A’, will play alongside the England, France, Germany, South Africa, Ireland and Wales. The most senior of the men’s team, D.C. Perera, will lead the side that will play their opening game against Germany, also on the same day.

Meanwhile, the Over-40 women’s team has been slotted amongst the English, Germans, United States, Scotland and Ghana, making up Group ‘B’. Skippered by Manoji P.K. Koralage, they will be starting the tournament against Ghana, also on the first day.

In the last edition in 2018, the islanders, currently ranked 34th in the world, managed to muster only a 14th place finish out of 16 teams, and beating Denmark 2-1 in that tournament was their best show. The three teams and officials will leave on Tuesday.

Australia will come into the contest as defending champs of the men’s Over-35, while the hosts will start the championship defending the men’s Over-40 category. The tournament runs from August 12 to 21.