ICCA Champions Trophy in Colombo from December 18 to 27
The Tournament Organising Committee (from left): George Paul (Founder/CEO, Sergia - Event and Logistics Partner), Sena Nandiweera (Tournament Director in-charge of Rules and Playing Conditions, Umpires and Scorers), Anoj Silva (Treasurer, ICCA and Director Dessert Cubs Cricket Academy, UAE), Presley Polonowita (President, ICCA and Founder/CEO Dessert Cubs Cricket Academy), Mahesh de Alwis (President, MCA), Nalin Wickramasinghe (Immediate Past President, MCA), Sirosha Gunatilake (Secretary, ICCA and Vice President and Chairman of Cricket Development Committee/Academy MCA), Anil Hapugoda (Secretary, Cricket Development Committee/Academy MCA)
Sri Lanka’s commercial capital Colombo will be the venue for the ICCA Champions Trophy that will be competed among cricket academies from around the globe. The tournament is organised by International Council for Cricket Academies (ICCA), headed by Presley Polonnowita of Desert Cubs Cricket Academy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The tournament, which will be held under two age categories, will see four cricket academies vying for the ICCA Champions Trophy from December 18 to 27 at few selected first class venues in and around Colombo with the main venue being the Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) ground. The four teams are Desert Cubs Cricket Academy of UAE, Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC) of Bangalore, India, Ramah Sports Academy of Harare, Zimbabwe and hosts Mercantile Cricket Association Academy of Sri Lanka.
ICCA’s premier junior cricket event promises to bring together top-notch academy teams from renowned cricket-playing nations, will offer a platform for emerging talents to display their skills and nurturing international cricketing camaraderie.
“All matches will adhere to ICC playing conditions and will be held at first-class venues in Colombo. The tournament is jointly managed by Desert Cubs Cricket Academy, UAE, and Mercantile Cricket Association, Sri Lanka, with Sargia as the logistics and event partner. A dedicated team of professionals is overseeing the arrangements to ensure a seamless and exciting experience for participants and spectators,” Polonnowita revealed.
Each academy will field two teams in Under-13 and Under-15 age categories. The Under-13 games will be played as 40-overs per-side while full 50 overs games will be allocated for the Under-15 age category. The organisers have planned to launch the tournament with a grand opening ceremony December 18 at 5.00p.m. at the MCA ground featuring cultural dance performances to enhance the festive atmosphere.
The league stages of the tournament will be played from December 19 to 26, where teams will compete in a round-robin format, playing six matches each in their respective age groups. December 22 and 25 have been reserved as rest days for all teams which will give the players the opportunity to rejuvenate and explore famous tourist attractions in the island. The finals and playoffs for the third place will be played on December 27 at four venues in Colombo – Mercantile Cricket Association, Thurstan College, D.S. Senanayake and Ace Capital grounds.
“All matches will be played with pink ball, adding a unique and thrilling dimension to the tournament. All matches will be updated live through the ICCA scoring app while the two finals will be shown live through our social media platforms,” stated Sirosha Gunathilake, the Secretary of ICCA.
The Tournament Organising Committee includes Presley Polonowita, the President of ICCA and Founder and CEO of Dessert Cubs Cricket Academy, UAE, Sirosha Gunatilake, the Secretary of ICCA and Vice President and Chairman of Cricket Development Committee and Academy of MCA, Anoj Silva, the Treasurer of ICCA and Director Dessert Cubs Cricket Academy, UAE, Mahesh de Alwis, the President of MCA, Nalin Wickramasinghe, the Immediate Past President of MCA, Sena Nandiweera, the Tournament Director in-charge of Rules and Playing Conditions, Umpires and Scorers, Anil Hapugoda, the Secretary, Cricket Development Committee/Academy of MCA and George Paul, the Founder and CEO of Sergia, the Event and Logistics Partner of the tournament.
“ICCA is dedicated to the development and growth of young international cricketers through tournaments, tours, masterclass programmes, coach and player exchange programmes, coach educator programmes and many more aspects. We strive to provide global opportunities for young cricketers to showcase their talents and foster a culture of healthy competition, inclusivity and excellence,” stated Sirosha Gunatilake, the Secretary of ICCA and Vice President and Chairman of Cricket Development Committee and Academy of MCA.
The inaugural ICCA Global Academy Championship was held in Nottinghamshire, in the United Kingdom, from July 18 to July 25 this year. It was deemed as a great success with participation from academies from six countries with more than 300 players participating.
Each year ICCA sanctioned tournaments and events across the world will be undertaken in different regions. ICCA also has made plans to conduct a mega tournament in Sri Lanka every two years, offering an excellent opportunity for junior cricketers and promoting Sri Lanka tourism.
“MCA Academy made history as the only cricket academy from Sri Lanka to participate in an international cricket tournament in England, showcasing the global reach and inclusivity of ICCA tournaments. We hope to host more events such as this in the future and we are in line to work alongside ICCA with their exchange programmes for players as well as coaches. This is a great platform for the growth of cricket,” stated Mahesh de Alwis, the President of MCA.
The tournament will culminate with an awards presentation on December 27 with the participation of renowned past and present Sri Lankan cricketers, giving the young cricketers the opportunity to meet their heroes of the sport.