NFSL to recall retired Tharjini ahead of Asian Tourney

By Susil Premalal  
The Executive Committee of the Netball Federation of Sri Lanka (NFSL) have decided to recall the retired former captain, former ace shooter and veteran player Tharjini Sivalingam ahead of the 13th Asian Senior Netball Championship 2024, which will be held from September 26 to October 6 in Saudi Arabia. The NFSL has officially invited Sivalingam – currently residing in Australia - to rejoin the national squad, NFSL President Lakshmi Victoria said yesterday.  
But Sivalingam is yet to respond to the invitation having earlier announced her decision to retire from the game soon after the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.  
Meanwhile, Sivalingam squashed all rumours on the chances of her rejoining the national squad ahead of the 13th Asian Senior Netball Championships in Saudi Arabia in an earlier interview with the Daily Mirror.  
“I have no intention at all of rejoining the national squad and I will stick with my decision to retire from the sport in 2023,” she said.   
“I will not change my decision. Even if the sports ministry or the netball federation requests me I would refuse it,” Sivalingam stressed.  
The NFSL has requested Sivalingam to rejoin the national squad to retain the Asian Championships for the third successive year having emerged champions in 2018 and 2022 respectively.   

Meanwhile, the National Selection Committee of the NFSL have added three names to the training squad and they have been approved by the Ministry of Sports.   
Sivalingam along with two other injured players Thisala Algama and Gayanjali Amarawansa have been included in the training squad, NFSL Selection Committee Chairman Padma Beddewela told the Daily Mirror yesterday.  
“At the request of the NFSL we decided to include these three players but they must participate in the final selection trial,” Beddewela stressed.  
Sivalingam is currently attached to Australia’s Victoria Netball League as a professional player having represented the country at four Asian Championships and three World Championships.  
She earned the reputation of becoming the world’s tallest goal shooter and won many laurels including the Best Asia Shooter Awards - (2009, 2012), World’s Best Shooter Award - (2011), Best Shooter of the Year Award and Fairest Player of City Falcon Award - (2017), Asian Championship Player of the Tournament - (2018), SLT Most Popular Sports Personality of the Year Award - (2019) and Sports Icon Award - Maldives Sports Awards (2022).