Among the many sports in Sri Lanka, cricket is the most popular sport in the country. But other popular sports include tennis, basketball, badminton, and athletics. We’ve listed the most popular sports in Sri Lanka to give you an idea of what they involve. Whether you’re into football or cricket, you’ll find something to enjoy here. Sri Lanka is known for its great culture of sports and its many sports festivals.
Cricket
The men’s national cricket team of Sri Lanka, nicknamed The Lions, represents the country in men’s international cricket. The Lions have Test, One-Day and Twenty-20 International status. They are a Full Member of the International Cricket Council. Cricket in Sri Lanka is popular, with over 3,000 registered players. Here are some of the most popular games played in Sri Lanka. One of the most popular forms of cricket in Sri Lanka is t20 international.
Netball
One of the most popular female sports in Sri Lanka is netball, which has its roots in the early 20th century. Netball was first played in the country in 1927 at the Government Training College. This event was a significant step towards spreading the sport to other parts of the country. The sport was later standardized after a meeting of Commonwealth countries in 1960. Today, Sri Lanka’s women’s team is ranked fifteenth in the world.
Athletics
In the recent AASL elections, new president Retd. Major General Palitha Fernando was elected. Both incoming office bearers have promised to turn a new leaf in Sri Lankan athletics. Former president Sugath Tillekeratne also voiced his disappointment over the declining athletics in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that the lackluster efforts of administrators were to blame for the slowdown in athletics in Sri Lanka.
Football
The national football team of Sri Lanka represents the country in association football. The national team was founded in 1952 and is currently a member of both FIFA and the AFC. Its home stadium is the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. There are many clubs and associations in Sri Lanka, as well as a professional league. Whether you’re looking to play a friendly game or compete in an international tournament, you’ll find an option to play in one of those clubs or leagues.
Special Olympics
A branch of the World Special Olympics Organization, Special Olympic Serendib, organizes the annual National Championship for the intellectually challenged. This tournament consists of games for people with forty different disabilities. The organization has over 600,000 members and is active in many areas, including special education. This tournament is open to the public and volunteers from all over the country. It also organizes Unified Sports and volunteer opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Inadequate infrastructure
Inadequate infrastructure for sports in Sri Lank is a huge issue in the country. The lack of facilities for women’s sports and the inadequacies in sports infrastructure mean that women aren’t given equal opportunity to compete in sport. A large number of parents and men want their daughters to become fair-skinned, so there is a need to develop indoor sports facilities for them. A sportsperson’s career is usually short and fitness levels start to decline by mid-life, so it is essential to secure their future through coaching qualification. Esports is another growing industry in the country, and is dominated by men.
Lack of coaching expertise
In Sri Lanka, most coaches lack advanced training techniques. Although a majority of them have some experience in training national teams, they are not sufficiently qualified to successfully guide athletes to national and international levels. The lack of coaching expertise and knowledge also hampers the country’s efforts to train top athletes. The government should allocate adequate financial resources for sports in Sri Lanka and implement a proper coaching education system. The following are suggestions to address this problem.