Chamari Atapattu goes on the attack © Getty Images
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Atapattu is the only player to earn a top contract in 2020, as Sri Lanka Cricket announced a 35-strong list of centrally-retained women players.
As has been the case in the past year, these contracts are valid for only six months at a time (members of the men’s team get 12-month contracts), with this lot having gone into effect from May 1. And as with the previous round of women’s contracts, 20 of the contracts are for national-team players, and 15 are for emerging cricketers who get a “fixed monthly rate” to support their training, in addition to an “attendance allowance”.
Two other players in addition to Atapattu had been placed in the highest contract category in 2019, but from among those players Shashikala Siriwardana has retired, and left-arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera has dropped into the second – Group B – category.
Sathya Sandeepani and Umesha Thimashini graduated to Group D, having been in the Emerging list in the last round of contracts. Batsman Yasoda Mendis, who had had a group B contract last time but has not played for Sri Lanka since October, is not in this list at all.
SLC central contracts:
Group A: Chamari Atapattu.
Group B: Anushka Sanjeewani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Nilakshi De Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Madavi.
Group C: Dilani Manodara, Prasadini Weerakkody, Kavisha Dilhari.
Group D: Ama Kanchana, Imalka Mendis, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Madushika Meththananda, Umesha Thimashini, Sathya Sandeepani.
Emerging players: Malsha Shehani, Lihini Apsara, Tharika Sewwandi, Jimanjalee Wijenayake, Harshani Wijeratne, Shashikala Silva, Sachini Nisansala, Iresha Sandamalee, Tharuka Shehani, Nilkashana Sandmini, Rose Perera, Janadi Analee, Shikari Niwarthana, Thilishiya Sathsarani, Saduni Nisansala.
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo