Atapattu sole player in category 'A' of SLC player contracts; Thimashini, Sandeepani only new additions

Chamari Atapattu, Sri Lanka’s captain, is the only player in category ‘A’ of the centrally contracted cricketers announced by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) last week. Although that category has a salary cap of Rs. 60,000 per month, Atapattu has reportedly placed her on a six-figure salary cap, thanks to her stellar performances during the last few months.



Atapattu scored her first T20I ton in September last year against Australia and hit a half century to go with a 41 and a couple of scores over 30 in the T20 World Cup 2020. She also had a ton to show in the ODIs Sri Lanka played Down Under in October 2019. She then played a couple of games in the Women’s Big Bash League for Melbourne Renegades in the fifth season of the competition.



Udeshika Prabodini, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Madavi are some of those who received promotions while Inoka Ranaweera and Ama Kanchana were pushed down a category. There are 20 players in the contracted players’ list – divided into categories ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ while 15 others under the Emerging Players Contract, similar to the ground-breaking announcement last September.



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Category ‘B’ has a salary cap of 50,000 per month while that of ‘C’ and ‘D’ is 40,000 and 30,000 respectively. The players’ contracts had originally expired on March 31 but the SLC extended it by a month on the request of selectors on the same terms which they had previously. The new contracts for a further period of six months starting May 1.



Apart from this, the SLC gave an additional amount of up to Rs. 15,000 a month for purchase of supplements. This amount would be on the basis of reimbursements. There is also an attendance allowance in place of up to Rs. 10,000 per month for all players, including Emerging ones based on their attendance for the contract period.



Shashikala Siriwardene, who retired after the T20 World Cup this year, and Yasoda Mendis are the two players who were left without contracts, while Umesha Thimashini and Sathya Sandeepani get their first contracts.







The following are the contracted players:



Category 'A': Chamari Atapattu



Category 'B': Anushka Sanjeevani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Nilakshi de Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodini, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Madavi



Category 'C': Dilani Manodara, Prasadini Weerakkody, Kavisha Dilhari



Category 'D': Ama Kanchana, Imalka Mendis, Inoshi Fernando, Achini Kulasooriya, Hansima Karunarathna, Madushika Meththananda, Umesha Thimashini, Sathya Sandeepani



Emerging Players: Malsha Shehani, Lihini Apsara, Tharika Sewwandi, Jimanjalee Wijenayaka , Harshani Wijerathna, Shashikala Silva, Sachini Nisansala, Iresha Sandamalee, Tharuka Shehani, Nilakshana Sandamini, Rose Perera, Janadi Analee, Shikari Niwarthana, Thilishiya Sathsarani, Saduni Nisansala