Sri Lanka have opted for a blend of experience and youth for the Women’s World Cup that starts on 30 September, recalling left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani and handing batting cover to Imesha Dulani.
Key facts up top
• Prabodhani, 39, returns after a hamstring lay-off that kept her out for almost a year.
• Dulani, 23, comes back after missing the July tri-series against India and South Africa.
• Teenagers Rashmika Sewwandi and Manudi Nanayakkara miss out; so do Hansima Karunaratne and spinner Inoshi Fernando.
• Chamari Athapaththu leads an otherwise settled line-up.
Why the pacer matters
Sri Lanka’s women do not possess a large pool of out-and-out quicks, so the re-appearance of Prabodhani, who can still hurry batters with the new ball, feels significant. “I’ve put in eight hard months of rehab. I’m fit, bowling without pain, and ready for another crack at a World Cup,” she told local media last week. Head coach Rumesh Ratnayake added, “Experience at the top of an innings can be priceless in Indian conditions.”
Seam partners
Prabodhani slots in alongside Achini Kulasuriya, 35, and the lively Malki Madara, 24. The trio gives Athapaththu a left-right mix and, crucially, an extra yard of pace that was missing during the tri-series.
Batting cover
Dulani’s recall is partly about flexibility. Nanayakkara, just 17, impressed many observers but the selectors prefer the slightly more seasoned Dulani for a tournament that involves travel between India and Sri Lanka. “She can slot anywhere from three to six,” selection convenor Apsari Tillakaratne explained on Tuesday.
The spine remains familiar
Athapaththu continues to headline a batting group that also includes Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama and the multi-skilled Kavisha Dilhari. Nilakshi de Silva, Piumi Wathsala and wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani round out the middle and lower order, while left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera leads a spin unit that still looks deep even without Inoshi Fernando.
Spin depth in plain English
Dewmi Vihanga, Sugandika Kumari and the captain herself can all contribute overs of slow bowling—useful on Indian pitches that often grip. Ranaweera, with 73 ODI wickets, remains the primary option, and her economy rate under five an over could be a brake on bigger batting line-ups.
Tournament path
Sri Lanka open against India in Guwahati. Four home fixtures in Colombo follow before a hop to Navi Mumbai for Bangladesh, and then back to Colombo for Pakistan. Finishing top four of the six-team group would seal a semi-final berth.
Balanced expectations
On paper, Sri Lanka do not start as favourites, but the mix of wise heads and fearless youngsters offers a workable roadmap. As former captain Shashikala Sirisena said during a recent TV panel, “If Chamari fires and the quicks strike early, upsets are on.” That seems a fair, measured reading of where this group sits.
Full squad
Chamari Athapaththu (capt), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Imesha Dulani, Hasini Perera, Achini Kulasuriya, Piumi Wathsala, Dewmi Vihanga, Malki Madara, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera.
A measured gamble on a fit-again seamer, a nod to form in domestic cricket, and a captain in decent touch—it’s not a flawless recipe, yet it gives Sri Lanka a fighting chance once the World Cup caravan rolls into Guwahati.
