Sri Lanka slicers top favourites
Anuradha ABEYSEKERA
Sri Lanka men's and women's carrom teams will participate in the 6th
International Carrom Federation (ICF) Cup Championship to be worked off
in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia from November 9 to 13.
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Sri Lankan contingent who will participate in the 6th ICF
Championship. From left - M. Sheriffdeen, D. Nishantha Fernando,
Madushika Kanchanamala, Chalani Lakmali, Joseph Roshita, Chamil
Cooray, Lahiru Eshan and Arosha Wickramasinghe (absent). Picture
by Lalith C. Gamage |
Sri Lanka being the reigning World team champions will be the top
favorites but will expect a tough challenge from neighbouring India.
The four-member local men's team will include the top seeds in Chamil
Cooray and D. Nishantha. Fernando who are capable of creating a major
upset at international level. The remaining two men's players M
Sheriffdeen and Lahiru Eshan are also very talented and showed
improvement in recent times.
Chamil and Nishantha are the Sri Lanka's most experienced contenders,
and came into the international attention when they won the World Team
Championship title, beating strong Indian players in the 2008 World
Championship in France. Sri Lanka had to satisfied with the runner-up
title in the women's team event, where India emerged Champions at the
last World Team Championship.
The women's team will have Chalani Lakmali, Madushika Kanchanamala,
Joseph Roshita and Arosha Wickramasinghe who have been practicing hard
to overcome their traditional opponents India. Most of world's top
carrom players are expected to take part in the championship and
Malaysian Carrom Federation will conduct the event along with ICF. The
veteran international carrom official Rohini Mathiasz has been invited
as the Assistant Chief Referee of the tournament while J.S.R. Rodrigo
will be the Sri Lankan team manager. |
