Former Isipathana College rugby and current Sri Lanka national player, Shaahid Zumri, has been appointed as the captain of the Sri Lanka Under-20 rugby team for the Asia Rugby U-20 Sevens Championship 2025, scheduled for August 9- and 10 in Rajgir, Bihar, India.
Zumri, who led the Isipathana Under-18 team to All-Island Champions title in 2023 and was named Player of the Tournament, has already made a name for himself in Sri Lankan rugby. He also earned the title of Player of the Tournament for the Under 19 Elite Sevens in 2023, which saw Isipathana secure the championship. Additionally, Zumri was awarded Player of the Match in the 2024 Schools Rugby Knockout Finals.
The 20-year-old is a key player in Sri Lanka’s national rugby scene, having represented the national 7s team for the Asia Emirates Rugby 7s in 2024, and participated in international competitions such as the New Zealand Under -85kg and Asia Rugby Qualifiers against teams like Hong Kong and the UAE.
Zumri was also a part of Kandy SC, who were crowned League and Knockout Champions in the 2024/25 season. Notably, he was the only schoolboy to represent Sri Lanka at the Asia Rugby Sevens in Nepal last year.
In this Under-20 tournament, Sri Lanka faces stiff competition from top rugby nations across Asia, including Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Nepal.
The Sri Lanka U-20 rugby squad includes a mix of talented young players from schools and clubs. Alongside captain Zumri, the team will comprise Pasindu Bandara (vice-captain), and Janith Marasinghe, the captain of St. Joseph’s College, who is the only schoolboy player in the 15-player squad.
The competition, held for the first time in Bihar, will feature a two-day tournament, with 12 players set to travel, while three players have been selected as stand byes.
Sri Lanka Junior Rugby Team:
Shaahid Zumri (Captain), Pasindu Bandara (Vice-Captain), Gayan Perera, Udeesha Ratnayake, Mahathir Raban, Fahad Nazar (Sri Lions), Rushen Bandaranayake (CR and FC), Praneeth Silva, Yehan Bulathsinhalage (Police SC), Kalindu Silva, Isuru Vithanage, Dineda Wickramarachchi, Abdullah Faizer, Janith Marasinghe (St. Joseph’s), Janidu Wijeratne.