News Today: Six-time champions Sri Lanka dominates Japan in the Asian Senior Netball Championship 2024

Six-time defending champions Sri Lanka continued their dominance in the 13th Asian Senior Netball Championship by defeating Japan in their Group A fixture at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium, Bengaluru, India. This victory marked Sri Lanka’s fourth successive win, after triumphs over the Philippines (71-41), Saudi Arabia (118-5), and India (81-31).

Sri Lanka took an early lead, winning the first quarter 17-6, and extended their advantage to 39-11 by halftime. They conceded just one goal in the third quarter, finishing the game in style. With this win, Sri Lanka remains unbeaten alongside Singapore and Malaysia at the end of the fifth day of the tournament. Their next matches are against Malaysia and the Maldives.

A notable feature of the match was Thilini Perera, a former Sri Lankan youth player and junior national poolist, who now represents Japan. Perera, a former student of Lindsay Balika MV, has been playing for Japan’s national team since 2018.

Sri Lanka, the reigning champions, are aiming for a third consecutive title in the tournament, further strengthening their reputation in Asian netball.