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SAFF U19 Women’s Championship 2021 Analysis

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The SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship is back! Founded in 2018, this year’s edition is only the second of the competition to date. A total of five teams are taking part this time, including India. Last edition’s champions Bangladesh are the hosts this time.

The SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2021 kicked off on December 11, 2021. Each team will face every other team in the group stage and the best two teams will advance to the final, which is set to take place on December 22, 2021. The competition was originally supposed to be held between July 13 and July 22 this year, but the COVID-19 pandemic and its related issues resulted in a five-month delay.

Hosts and Venues

On October 14, 2021, the SAFF members board meeting took place in Male, Maldives. Following the meeting, Bangladesh was announced to be the host of the tournament.

All the games at the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2021 are being held at the BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.

Participating Teams

All the four teams that took part in the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2018 are back for this edition as well. There is also a new addition in Sri Lanka.

The following are the teams participating in the SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship 2021, along with their respective final positions on the standings in 2018:

  • Bangladesh (Champions)
  • Nepal (Runners-up)
  • India (Third place)
  • Bhutan (Fourth place)
  • Sri Lanka (did not take part)

Fixtures and Results

Group Stage

TeamsDateResultsWinner
Bhutan vs Sri Lanka Saturday, December 1 5 – 0Bhutan
Bangladesh vs NepalSaturday, December 11:0 – 0 Draw
Bangladesh vs Bhutan Monday, December 136 – 0Bangladesh
India vs Sri Lanka Monday, December 135 – 0India
Nepal vs Sri Lanka Wednesday, December 156 – 0Nepal
India vs BhutanWednesday, December 153 – 0India
Bangladesh vs IndiaFriday, December 171 – 0Bangladesh
Nepal vs BhutanFriday, December 174 – 0Nepal
Nepal vs IndiaSunday, December 190 – 1India
Bangladesh vs Sri LankaSunday, December 1912 – 0Bangladesh
as of 19th December 2021

Points table

TeamPWLGFGAGDPTS
Bangladesh43101901910
India43019189
Nepal421110197
Bhutan4103513-83
Sri Lanka4004028-280
as of 19th December 2021

Sri Lanka conceded 28 goals in the tournament and did not scored a goal and Bangladesh is leading the points table followed by the Indian U19 Women’s team

Sri Lankan team consist of 23 players and 9 officials

NoNameSchool
1.W.M.K.ImeshaVisakha BMV Colombo
2.E.M.P.M.EkanayakeMaliyadeva BMV Kurunegala
3.J.S.S.Subashi MadushaniMaliyadeva BMV Kurunegala
4.W.M.O.S.BandaraMaliyadeva BMV Kurunegala
5.J.M.H.B.HunukumburaMaliyadeva BMV Kurunegala
6.A.M.C.Vishmika BandaraMaliyadeva BMV Kurunegala
7.J.A.U.K.JayakodyKavisigamuwa C.C Kurunegala
8.N.B.Tharindi JanithyaViharamahadevi BMV Gampaha
9.T.Hashini KawshalyaSt.John MV Kalutara
10.W.A.L.Tharindi RanshaniJayakody MV Gampaha
11.U.JokithaMahajana College Jaffna
12.R.KirushanthiniMahajana College Jaffna
13.M.ValanteenaMahajana College Jaffna
14.S.TharmikaMahajana College Jaffna
15.P.Iroshini SewmaliSri Siddhartha NS Ambalangoda
16.Senuri Kavinya GallageSri Siddhartha NS Ambalangoda
17.Maleeka AmithGateway International Colombo
18.S.Nimesha SandaruwaniBandiwewa MV Polonnaruwa
19.Rashmi KaveeshaBandiwewa MV Polonnaruwa
20.M.A.Dulani SandeepaniBandiwewa MV Polonnaruwa
21.Sanduni NisansalaSt.Joseph College Gampola
22.W.M.G.S.BandaraSWRD Bandaranayake MV Kandy
23.K.P.Amavi Anuththra KahatapitiyaBandaranayake MV – Veyangoda

Officials

  1. Mr.Manjula C. Sirisena Head Coach
  2. Ms.T.G.D.K.Samarasinghe Asst.Coach
  3. Ms.D.M.Menaka Dissanayake Asst.Coach
  4. Mr.Ranjith Hettiarachchi Goal Keeper Coach
  5. Ms.J.M.Ganga S.Jayasundara Masseur
  6. Ms.P.Selliah School Official
  7. Dr.M.R.C.F. Jayasuriya Manager/Team Doctor
  8. Mr.Marcus V.Mota Perreira Trainer
  9. Hassimdeen Mohamed Farook Official

Sri Lankan Matches

Bhutan vs Sri Lanka

India vs Sri Lanka

Nepal vs Sri Lanka

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka

Football Sri Lanka President Mr Jaswar Umar stated that “Don’t underestimate Women football and women talents in Sri Lanka. These little girls were given an opportunity to experience international competitive football. This is just the start of their era and they will now get into club competition from January. These girls never had an opportunity to play football for last so many years. We are now beginning with a new bold step to start women football in Sri Lanka with strong strategies. We are happy to take part in this competition as a beginning. Sri Lanka women football will come to a strong level soon”

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Cricket

Sachithra Senanayake Indicted in Landmark Match-Fixing Case Under Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Law

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Former Sri Lankan cricketer Sachithra Senanayake has been formally indicted before the Hambantota High Court, marking a historic first in Sri Lanka’s efforts to criminalize corruption in sports. The charges stem from an alleged match-fixing attempt during the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL), making Senanayake the first player to face prosecution under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act No. 24 of 2019.

Senanayake, currently out on bail, is accused of attempting to influence Colombo Kings player Tharindu Ratnayake to underperform during the tournament. The incident reportedly occurred via a WhatsApp message, which was later flagged by a local anti-corruption officer, prompting an official investigation in 2020.

The case falls under the landmark legislation introduced in 2019 by then Sports Minister Harin Fernando, which criminalizes match-fixing and related offenses in the country. If convicted, Senanayake could face a prison term of up to 10 years, a fine reaching Rs. 100 million, or both.

The indictment signals a serious shift in Sri Lanka’s approach to tackling corruption in sports. Authorities hope this high-profile case will serve as a strong deterrent against similar offenses in the future.

Senanayake, once a celebrated off-spinner and a member of Sri Lanka’s victorious 2014 ICC T20 World Cup squad, now faces the grim prospect of being remembered not for his achievements on the field, but for his role in one of Sri Lanka’s most significant match-fixing scandals.

As the case unfolds, it casts a spotlight on the broader issue of corruption in sports and reinforces the urgent need for integrity, vigilance, and transparent governance across all levels of competition in Sri Lanka

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Cricket

Harbhajan Singh Criticizes Jayawardene and Malinga for Over-Involvement in MI Dugout During IPL Qualifier

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In a surprising turn of events during IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, cricket legend and former Mumbai Indians player Harbhajan Singh has voiced concern over what he termed “excessive involvement” by Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga during Mumbai Indians’ defeat against Punjab Kings.

Speaking on his YouTube channel after MI’s seven-wicket loss at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Harbhajan took issue with the coaching staff’s frequent instructions from the dugout — especially during tense moments when MI bowlers were under pressure.

Too many signals, too much talking — even with someone like Jasprit Bumrah, who knows exactly what he’s doing,” Harbhajan remarked. “At times, you need a calm and collected environment, especially during high-pressure games. Coaches should guide, not command every move from the sidelines.

Punjab Kings chased down a formidable target of 204, with captain Shreyas Iyer anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 87 to secure a place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite Mumbai posting a solid total, their bowlers failed to contain the opposition — a point that Harbhajan feels may have been worsened by the atmosphere in the MI dugout.

Jayawardene, MI’s Head of Global Performance, and Malinga, the bowling coach, were both seen actively engaging with players during the game, a move Harbhajan believes may have unintentionally undermined the confidence of seasoned campaigners like Bumrah.

I’ve been part of that setup. The coaching staff means well, but showing visible desperation can impact player morale,

Harbhajan added.

With this loss, Mumbai Indians miss out on a shot at their sixth IPL title, while discussions surrounding the balance between guidance and over-coaching during matches are sure to continue

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Football

Fouzul Hameed Calls for Urgent Reforms in Sri Lankan Football: “Enough is Enough”

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In a powerful and emotional statement, Fouzul Hameed — veteran football advocate, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the AC Milan Academy in Colombo — has delivered a scathing critique of Sri Lanka’s football administration, calling for immediate reforms to rescue the sport from what he describes as “chronic mismanagement and total collapse.

In a candid interview with Serendib News 🔗 Source, Hameed, who also captained Zahira College’s football team during his school days, expressed frustration over the decline of Sri Lankan football — both at grassroots and national levels.

“This is not personal—it’s a wake-up call. Especially at the school level, if we build a proper system, we might finally see decent results,”

Hameed emphasized.

No Future in Football” – A Harsh Reality

Hameed admitted that he now encourages players to focus on their education instead of football due to the lack of career prospects in the sport. He lamented that football has become an elite pastime hijacked by individuals with no understanding or passion for the game.

There’s no future in it right now—no careers, no livelihood,” he said. “Talent doesn’t matter anymore. Football is now controlled by politics and greed.

School Football in Crisis

His strongest words were reserved for the school football system, which he described as being in complete disarray.

Our school system is a disaster. There’s no coaching, no nurturing of talent, and no proper calendar. Finals are played under harsh conditions, without basic facilities like medical support or crowd control.

Comparing football to the glamor of school rugby and cricket, Hameed pointed out how football is marginalized despite having deep roots and mass appeal.

Look at the attention rugby and cricket get. Meanwhile, school football finals happen in near silence. It’s disrespectful.

A Broken Federation

Hameed criticized the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) for its failure in leadership and planning.

The wrong people are running the game. They have no playing background, no vision, no strategy — they’re in it for the titles and benefits.

Highlighting Zahira College’s legacy of producing nearly 100 national players, he said that even his alma mater may withdraw from tournaments due to poor planning and conditions.

Give us one tournament and a proper venue — we’ll show you how it’s done.

Call to Clean House

Calling on the Ministry of Sports and the President of Sri Lanka, Hameed demanded a complete overhaul of the football governing body.

Football can unite this country, but it needs leaders with values and professionalism. We need people who genuinely care about the sport.

He referenced Sri Lanka’s recent humiliating 8-0 loss to India and the issue of national players wearing fake jerseys due to budgetary issues, calling it “a national disgrace.”

Final Word

This is not just a game — it’s identity, dignity, and hope. But it’s being destroyed by incompetence. Enough is enough.

Fouzul Hameed’s passionate appeal reflects a broader concern shared by players, fans, and former athletes alike — that Sri Lankan football is long overdue for reform, and that real change must begin with honest leadership and grassroots investment

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