Sashikala, Asian women's team deputy

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: Sri Lanka's Sashikala Siriwardena has been named vice captain of the Asian women's cricket team which will take on the African women's team in their one off Twenty20 match which will be worked off on June 5 in Bangalore.

This match has been organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to coincide with the second Afro Asia Cup day night limited overs cricket series which will be held from June 6 to 10 in Bangalore and Chennai.

The inaugural Afro-Asia Cup was held in South Africa in August 2005. The 2007 and 2008 Afro-Asia Cup tournaments are set in the International Cricket Council Future Tours Program and like the 2005 version will be official one day internationals.

This match is of great importance as this will be the first time that International Twenty 20 cricket is played in India. Apart from Sashikala Siriwardena the Asian women's team will also include three other Sri Lankan players - Dedunu Silva, Chamari Polgampola and Eshani Lokusuriya.

Sashikala Siriwardena of Slimline Sports Club is one of the most experienced players in the side having captained the Sri Lanka women's team during the Asian limited overs tournament last year where they emerged runners up.

Siriwardena said that it is a great honour to be picked as the vice captain of the Asian women's cricket team and a privilege to be associated with some of the top players in the region. She said that this is the first time that she will be playing in an international Twenty20 match although she had represented her club in a couple of domestic games.

Dedunu Silva also from Slimline Sports Club is another key player and a prolific run getter in the domestic scene. She had a memorable series in the women's Asian limited overs tournament last year where she was selected as the woman of the series.

All rounder Chamari Polgampola also from Slimline Sports Club and Eshani Lokusuriya from Moratuwa Sports Club completes the Sri Lankan line up in this Asian women's cricket team which will be captained by India's Mithali Raj. In fact the Asian women's team will comprise of six Indians, four Sri Lankans and two Pakistan players.

Meanwhile the total prize money for the three 2007 Afro Asia Cup matches is USD 100,000. The winning team in each match will receive USD 25,000, the man of the match USD 5,000 and the man of the tournament USD 10,000. In addition the participating players will be presented with USD 5000 for each match.

The Asian women's team (from): Mithali Raj (captain - India), Sashikala Siriwardena (vice captain - Sri Lanka), Sulakshana Naik (India), Dedunu Silva (Sri Lanka), Jaya Sharma (India), Chamari Polgampola (Sri Lanka), Bismah Maharoof (Pakistan), Jhulan Goswami (India), Rumeli Dhar (India), Priti Dimri (India), Urooj Mumtaz Khan (Pakistan), Eshani Lokusuriya (Sri Lanka) and Shamsha Hashmi (manager - Pakistan).

The African women's team (from): Margaret Banja (Kenya), Yvonne Mashedi (Kenya), Ashlyn Petro Carlyle Kilowan (South Africa), Cri-Zelda Brits (South Africa), Alicia Smith (South Africa), Saida Ramadhani (Tanzania), Mwanaiddi Shakim (Tanzania), Trisha Chetty (South Africa), Frankline Najjumba (Uganda), Christine Aryemo (Uganda), Julie Chibhabha (Zimbabwe), Thandolwenkosi Milo (Zimbabwe), Manager: Max Jordaan