Ex-World Cup player Somitha bags Sri Lanka job and pledges revival

• De Alwis is a former Sri Lanka player who has represented the country in three consecutive Netball World Cups — 1995 in England, 1999 in New Zealand and 2003 in Jamaica

By Susil Premalal

Somitha de Alwis

Former World Cup player Somitha de Alwis bagged the job as coach of the Sri Lanka netball team and said she is ready to take on the challenge of regaining the Asian title that Sri Lanka lost in 2024 when the team competes at the 14th Asian Senior Netball Championship 2026.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, De Alwis said her primary goal is to guide Sri Lanka back to the top of Asian netball despite the limited preparation time available.

“The preparation period for the Asian Netball Championship is not sufficient, but as both a former player and a coach I am ready to take on this challenge. I plan to begin training soon with a squad of around 30 junior and senior players. 

“I have also requested the netball administration to arrange an overseas tour to give the team international match exposure before the Asian tournament. My first target is to qualify for the Asian finals and then we will work towards reclaiming the title we lost last time,” De Alwis said.

The Asian Senior Netball Championship 2026 is scheduled to be held from August 7 to 16 in Hong Kong that also serves as the Asian qualifying event for the 2027 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

The top two teams earn qualification for the global competition.

The Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL) has arranged the first selection trial to choose the national squad for the Asian Championship today at the Indoor Stadium in Bandaragama. Based on the performances, a 30-player training squad is expected to be selected.

Two experienced international-level coaches, Somitha de Alwis and PD Prasadi applied for the position of national coach. However, Prasadi did not attend the interview, citing personal reasons.

De Alwis is a former Sri Lanka player who has represented the country in three consecutive Netball World Cups — 1995 in England, 1999 in New Zealand and 2003 in Jamaica. 

She is also a world netball qualified coach and has previously served as head coach of the Sri Lanka team at the Singapore Nations Cup and the Asian Senior Netball Championship.

According to the history of the Asian Senior Netball Championship (1985–2024), Sri Lanka is the most successful team, having won the title six times in 1989, 1997, 2001, 2009, 2018 and 2022. Sri Lanka has also finished runner-up on five occasions in the tournament’s history.