Sports

Sports

Under 19-world cup

Sri Lanka Cricket on top gear for cricket extravaganza
By Marlon Fernandopulle
As top ICC officials arrived in Sri Lanka for the launch of the Under 19 world cup Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) welcomed the move by the State to exempt the event from taxes.

Speaking to the Sunday Times Secretary of the Interim Committee Adel Hashim said,” We are extremely happy at the gesture made by the Finance Ministry on this aspect. It will only help Sri Lanka to be more lucrative for sports events of this nature in the future”. When asked how much was the financial benefit that ICC was to get Hashim replied saying,” The actual estimates and budgets are being consolidated at the moment; hence we are unable to give an exact figure”. The secretary confirmed that they had made prior representations to the sports ministry on this matter and are extremely happy that the government has now recognized the importance of our country hosting such events.

An ICC secretariat has already being established at SLC headquarters to co-ordinate the event and four high ranking officials of ICC are also working hand in hand with SLC officials in a bid to ensure that the world cup preparations are on. Former Sri Lanka Test captain Bandula Warnapura (Tournament Director), Jeewaka Fernando (Tournament Co-coordinator) and Samantha Algama (Media Co-coordinator) are some of the SLC officials who are directly involved in the Organizing and Co-coordinating the mega event.

ICC President Eshan Mani and SLC Interim Committee Chairman Jayantha Dharmadasa will sign the host’s agreement at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo today, prior to the official launch of the Under 19 world cup tomorrow.
Sixteen countries will compete in 44 games at next years world cup, which will be played in five venues in Colombo. The ICC has approved the five venues, which will be NCC, CCC, SSC, Tamil Union and the R Premadasa Stadium. All matches will be day games except the two semi finals and the final, which will be played under floodlights at the R Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka have been grouped along with India, Scotland and Nambia in group C. The teams are placed in four groups where the top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super League and will play-off against each other in the quarter finals. The bottom two teams in each group will compete in the Plate Championship.

Pakistan are the defending champions after claiming the title, in 2004 beating the West Indies in the final by 25 runs in Bangladesh. Australia (2002), India (2000) and England (1998) are the previous winners. After handing over the world cup to the winners Pakistan, ICC President Eshan Mani congratulated Bangladesh and commented that it was the most spectacular under 19-world cup the world has ever seen.

Hence SLC will have to ensure that all resources are put together in order to match their predecessors as hosts. Next year will be the second time that Sri Lanka will be hosting the event after the island played as hosts in the year 2000.

Top