Meet the Sri Lanka women's cricket team for the Asia Cup

Chris Dhambarage

Shashikala Siriwardena (captain)

A right hand top order batswoman Shashikala Siriwardena has been the captain of the Sri Lanka team since 2005.

Siriwardena who also bowls right arm off spinners made her one day international debut against the West Indies at Kingstown in March, 2003. Since then she has been a regular member of the Sri Lanka team having made some significant contributions with both bat and ball. She has so far accumulated a total of 436 runs from 27 one day internationals including two half centuries.

Siriwardena has also captured 24 wickets at an average of 26.50 with a best effort of four wickets for 11 runs. She has represented the country in three Asia Cup tournaments held in Colombo (2004), Pakistan (2005) and India (2006) where they emerged runners up.

In addition she also represented the country at the World Cup tournament in South Africa (2005).

Twenty three year old Siriwardena a past student of President's College also had the honour of representing the champion Asian women's team at the inaugural 2006 Afro Asia Cup limited overs tournament held in India.

Siriwardena excelled in track and field during her school days but started a career in cricket by first representing Parlink Sports Club in 1998 before joining Slimline Sports Club Pannala.

Chamari Polgampola (vice captain)

A left hand top order batswoman and a right arm medium fast bowler Chamari Polgampola is one of the most senior players in the team having represented the country since 2004.

The 27 year old player from Slimline SC made her one day international debut against India at the Asgiriya Stadium in April 2004. She has collected a total of 255 runs from 20 matches inclusive of two half centuries.

She has represented the country in two Asia Cup tournaments staged in Colombo (2004) and India (2006) where they emerged runners up and also played in the 2005 World Cup in South Africa.

In addition she was a member of the champion Asian women's team at the inaugural Afro Asia Cup limited overs tournament held in India.

Polgampola who is a past student of Mayurapada MMV Narammala also had the opportunity of playing against the England women's team during two separate tours at home.

She excelled in table tennis at school and later started a career in cricket largely due to the efforts of coach late Somaratne Kasthuri.

(To be continued)