Image Credit- AFP
Sri Lanka Cricket has announced that a Women’s
National Super League (NSL) for both white-ball formats would start this month.
The 50-over match is scheduled to start in Colombo on February 6 and will be
followed by a T20 competition.
The competition will showcase the best talent in the
nation, much like the Men’s NSL, which debuted in 2022. divided into four
groups, comprising of 60 players each, namely Colombo, Kandy, Dambulla, and
Galle.
“The 50 over tournament, which will start on
February 6, is a major elevation for women’s cricket in the country, as they
get to compete in the country’s elite domestic competition,” stated an SLC
media release.
“Competing and performing well in the Women’s
National Super League will enable players to graduate to national
recognition.”
Both competitions are scheduled to take place in
Colombo back-to-back, with a single match between the two teams before the
championship. The T20 competition will begin on February 15, three days after
the 50-over final on February 12. The date of the T20 final is February 20.
The action has greatly benefited Sri Lanka’s women’s
tennis scene. Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka’s women’s team did not
participate in any international matches between March 2020 and November 2021.
But since then, competitive trips have increased, with
series against India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, New Zealand, and England scheduled.
These matches include a historic home ODI series victory over New Zealand and a
T20I series victory over England.
The skipper, Chamari Athapaththu, had the best year of
her career in 2023, winning the ICC ODI Player of the Year award.