Ahead of the 8th edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with small developments are looking to be back on track after a prolonged turmoil period. SLC recently onboarded a new official team sponsor for the ICC event and now has announced a decorated icon of the nation as part of their cricketing body.
SLC in a media release has announced the onboarding of Olympic Silver Medalist, Ms. Susanthika Jayasinghe as their Consultant for Mentoring and Development of Women’s Cricket. The silver medalist is one of the most decorated athletes produced by Sri Lanka and the only female athlete to win an Olympic medal for her country and the only Asian woman athlete to have won an Olympic medal in sprint events.
Susanthika Jayasinghe, on her appointment, said, “I am extremely happy with this new challenge, as it gives me an opportunity to help young women athletes take up the game, cope with the challenges, and go on to become the “stars” they deserve to be in the future.”
Jayasinghe’s appointment came into effect on the 1st of February and the SLC expects that her inspirational story of grit and determination will inspire the present and future generations of women cricketers in Sri Lanka to do better and achieve bigger.
Sri Lanka Cricket appoints Olympic Silver Medalist Ms. Susanthika Jayasinghe for the Role –
‘Consultant – Mentoring and Development of Women’s Cricket.’#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/PFV1IFOzUe— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) February 2, 2023
Sri Lanka Cricket on the 1st of February announced India’s NR Group-owned, Cycle Pure Incense as the official team sponsor of the Sri Lanka Women’s Team for the forthcoming, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. The team goes to the World Cup on the back of very little cricket having last played a game back in October of 2022 in the Asia Cup where they finished as runners-up having lost to India.
SLC’s Assistant Secretary, Chryshantha Kapuwatte, during a recent press conference said, “A special plan is in place for women’s cricket,” and one would believe the appointment of Olympian, Susanthika Jayasinghe is only the start that has a lot more to unfold in the days to come.
For the forthcoming World Cup, the squad SLC revealed saw as few as 3 changes from the side’s most recent outing that came way back in October 2022 during the Asia Cup. While Rashmi Silva and Madushika Methtananda failed to make the cut, Hasini Perera missed out due to an injury to one of her fingers that she sustained during practice.
Sri Lanka Women’s squad for T20 World Cup 2023:
Chamari Athapaththu (C), Oshadi Ranasinghe, Harshitha Samawickrama, Sathya Sandeepani, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya, Vishmi Gunaratne, Tharika Sewwandi, Ama Kanchana
(Quotes sourced from SLC media release)