COLOMBO, May 12 (ePRESS) – Sri Lanka Rugby named a strong 53-member pool for the Men’s 15-a-side Asia Rugby Championship 2026, which will be played in Colombo and Hong Kong from May 24 to June 13, after the United Arab Emirates withdrew from the tournament due to the war situation in Iran.
The championship will now be contested by co-hosts Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and South Korea in a three-nation competition. Matches will be played at the Racecourse Stadium and in Hong Kong.
The 53-member squad includes Tharindu Chathuranga, Vimukthi Gamage, Naham Hemachandra, Janith Chandimal, Denuwan Hansaka, Chathura Dilshan, Abdul Haadhi, Sabith Musheen, Kaveesha Kaluaarachchi, Thanuja Jayaweera, Sachinthana Waidyanatha, Nirosh Perera, Nisal Silva, Hirusha Perera and Dilshara Kodagoda.
Also included are Isuru Perera, Mursheed Doray, Venura Kodagoda, Udesh Madushanka, Harsha Maduranga, Omalka Gunaratne, Samitha Warnakulasooriya, Kaveesha Amarasekara, Hamdaan Safraz, Hansitha de Silva, Shamika Kaushan, Koojana Kulatunga, Yoshitha Jayasekara, Januth Ratnayake and Janith Marasinghe.
The remaining players in the pool are Yuwan Pathirana, Thilina Bandara, Viduna Amaneth, Kushan Tharindu, Abdullah Rizvi, Naveen Marasinghe, Denuwan Wickramarachchi, Isuru Kongahawatte, Asiri Seneviratne, Oshan Gunaratne, Dimuth Perera, Nuwan Perera, Shenal Uyangoda, Lasindu Karunathilaka, Pasindu Bandara, Dilshan Jaya, Shenal Adhikaram, Sudharaka Dikkumbura, Lahiru Ratnayake, Ashan Bandara, Pramod Madushanka, Navin Kanishka and Thenuka Nanayakkara.
Sri Lanka Rugby is expected to trim the squad further ahead of the opening match as the hosts aim to make a strong impact in the regional tournament against two of Asia’s leading rugby nations.
Sri Lanka Men’s 15-a-Side Asia Rugby Championship Pool
Tharindu Chathuranga
Vimukthi Gamage
Naham Hemachandra
Janith Chandimal
Denuwan Hansaka
Chathura Dilshan
Abdul Haadhi
Sabith Musheen
Kaveesha Kaluaarachchi
Thanuja Jayaweera
Sachinthana Waidyanatha
Nirosh Perera
Nisal Silva
Hirusha Perera
Dilshara Kodagoda
Isuru Perera
Mursheed Doray
Venura Kodagoda
Udesh Madushanka
Harsha Maduranga
Omalka Gunaratne
Samitha Warnakulasooriya
Kaveesha Amarasekara
Hamdaan Safraz
Hansitha de Silva
Shamika Kaushan
Koojana Kulatunga
Yoshitha Jayasekara
Januth Ratnayake
Janith Marasinghe
Yuwan Pathirana
Thilina Bandara
Viduna Amaneth
Kushan Tharindu
Abdullah Rizvi
Naveen Marasinghe
Denuwan Wickramarachchi
Isuru Kongahawatte
Asiri Seneviratne
Oshan Gunaratne
Dimuth Perera
Nuwan Perera
Shenal Uyangoda
Lasindu Karunathilaka
Pasindu Bandara
Dilshan Jaya
Shenal Adhikaram
Sudharaka Dikkumbura
Lahiru Ratnayake
Ashan Bandara
Pramod Madushanka
Navin Kanishka
Thenuka Nanayakkara
