Lanka Women Cricketers ready for NZ challenge

We are ready to face the challenge against New Zealand and we had good preparation before this tour said Sri Lanka women’s cricket head coach Rumesh Ratnayake. The New Zealand women’s team is very talented like Australia and they were one time World Champions and we have to give a good fight with them said coach Ratnayake.

The head coach also said I am happy to see two young players Manudi Nanayakkara and Rashmika Sewwandi included in this tour with the seniors. This will provide good exposure for them. We never expected more from youngsters but this is the only way to groom them for the future and I am sure youngsters have to move with seniors to get experience. We beat New Zealand int our home series earlier that was two years ago and that gave good confidence but don’t forget conditions are completely different and we have to adjust and hope to make a good challenge during this tour.

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapatthu who is involved in the women’s Premier league in India will join the Sri Lanka team midway of the Women’s Premier League Tournament.

Meanwhile Vice Captain Anushka Sanjeewani the wicket keeper batter said the team had more than two months preparation before this tour which is a good preparation before the women’s World Cup. We have to adjust to the conditions first and our team is capable of giving a good fight against New Zealand but we never underestimate our opponents. Young players have to move with seniors to get success.

Our main target is forthcoming World Cup and we couldn’t do well at the last World Cup as expected and want to come back with good performances. Especially two new fast bowlers Chethana Vimukthi, Rashmika Sewawandi (Under 19 vice captain) and batter under 19 skipper Manudi Nanayakkara are good prospects for this tour. This players did really well at our practice games while during the Under 19 World Cup two players performed well to be selected for the National team, said Vice Captain Anushka Sanjeewani.

Manudi Nanayakkara the under 19 Captain said this is a good opportunity for us and we had to work hard to select the National team. Both myself and Vice Captain Sewwandi did well at the under 19 World Cup and we expected to get this opportunity to enter the National team. We had good training sessions before this tour while our seniors gave good support to us. Our supporting staff too gave good support. If we get a chance to play the matches in New Zealand we hope to do our best for the team, said Manudi Nanayakkara .

Sri Lanka are due to play New Zealand in three ODIs and three WT20Is during the tour. Sri Lanka opens the tour with two one-day warm-up matches on February 27 and 28 at Lincoln, before commencing the first women’s ODI at Napier on March 4.

Sri Lanka women’s cricket squad for New Zealand tour: Chamari Athpaththu (Capt)Anushka Sanjeewani , Nilakshika de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunarante, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Achini Kaushalya, Sugandika, Kumari, Manudi Nanayakkara, Sachini Nisansala, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Udeshika Probodhani, Inosha Priyadharshani, Rashmika Sewwandi, Chethana Vimukthi