Sri Lanka Cricket
While Sri Lanka has been competing at the highest level for just over two decades, cricket has truly evolved, if not quite into a national game, then surely into a national past-time. Its value cannot be solely measured by the vast amounts of foreign currency the game generates for Sri Lanka (relative to the country). In times of hardship and trouble, and Sri Lanka has had its share of both, and then some, cricket is the soothing balm of the common soul; their anaesthetic from the copious doses of an unsympathetic reality.
Sri Lanka holds the world record for highest team score in Test cricket - 952 runs were scored by the Sri Lankan batsmen against India in 1997 during the India tour of Sri Lanka. Muttiah Muralitharan is a legend Test bowler in Sri Lankan cricket history. He was praised by the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack as the ’Best bowler ever’ in Test cricket in 2002. He holds the world record for the highest number of wickets in Test cricket, along with the most five-wicket and ten-wicket hauls in an innings in Tests.
The first cricket club formed was the Colombo Cricket Club, which was founded in 1832. Nonetheless, unlike its progress in England, cricket remained more an exception than the rule and it was not until about three decades later that the game formally took root in Ceylon. In July 1922, a national cricket board to govern and promote the game of cricket was formed as the Ceylon Cricket Association (CCA).
Ceylon was named Sri Lanka on 22 May 1972. The President of the Board of Cricket Control in Pakistan proposed ICC to promote the Sri Lankan team to Test status. Sri Lanka obtained the full-member status of the ICC in 1981, making them the eighth country eligible to play Test cricket. Sri Lanka Cricket as formally known at present, was first registered with the Ministry of Sports on 30th June 1975 as a national sports body. It was initially known as the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) until it came to be named as Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in 2003. It has been the stamp of authority on the local cricketing map under the mandate of Ministry of Sports and is focused on upholding the cricketing heritage of the country.
As Sri Lankans have a passion for cricket being its most popular sport with international recognition, SLC is on course with multifaceted objectives in ensuring overall development of the sport from grassroots level to international level. Due to relentless efforts, “Sri Lanka Cricket” is renowned as a highly recognised Sri Lankan brand name across the world today. SLC is a major source of national income and has always been in the public eye and of interest. It therefore makes a pivotal contribution to the nation at large.
The year 2020 gave rise to many global challenges. In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, it was most unfortunate that most of the scheduled Sri Lanka National eam tours, both inbound and outbound, had to be postponed. The England team arriving in March for a two-Test Series had to depart before the commencement of the Series. The West Indies tour remained the only inbound tour successfully staged and only three outbound tours – the tours of India, Zimbabwe and South Africa – were successfully concluded during the year. Domestic tournaments scheduled too were severely hampered. The Major Club League Tournament was held in segments under strict health guidelines, and the Colombo Cricket Club emerged champions by winning the Tier ‘A’ Super 8’s Round. However, it was unfortunate that the Tier ‘B’ Tournament and the Inaugural Youth Invitation Tournament for the 2020/21 season, could not be concluded.
A major highlight of the year 2020 was the successful staging of the pinnacle event ‘the Lanka Premier League 2020’, under numerous obstacles, drawbacks, restrictions and challenges, after a hiatus of six years. Sri Lanka Cricket successfully executed their brainchild, the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2020, Sri Lanka’s topmost T20 League from the 26th of November to the 16th of December. The tournament was held at the MRICS, Hambantota, probably marking this to be the pioneer tournament of this magnitude to be conducted in a single venue. The ground facilities included ten centre wickets, 22 side wickets and four dressing rooms, alongside other essential amenities to host the event successfully.
The tournament commenced in grandeur, where the opening ceremony was conducted virtually to a global television audience of over 100 million viewers. The ‘Jaffna Stallions’ led by Thisara Perera lifted the inaugural LPL cup and the title. Their glorious victory gave a tremendous boost to cricket in the Jaffna District and created the essential hype to bring out the hidden talents and skills of the Northern youth. The tournament, which will continue to be an annual feature in the cricketing calendar, will no doubt immensely enhance the popularity of the game in Sri Lanka.
Dubai-based IPG Group (Innovative Production Group) stepped up as the official Rights Holder of the Lanka Premier League 2020. It is remarkable that SLC was one of the few member boards of cricket governing bodies of the ICC (International Cricket Council) to successfully conclude an attractive TV Rights marketing deal and still attract a few new commercial partners whilst renewing most of the existing sponsorships. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) was awarded the exclusive ‘Global Media Rights’ of Sri Lanka Cricket’s inbound tours for the period 2020 to 2023. ITW Consulting – a sports marketing firm based in India was chosen as the ‘Ground Rights Holder’ for Sri Lanka Cricket’s inbound tours from 2020 to 2023. Innovative Production Group (IPG) of Dubai was awarded the ‘Production Rights’ of Sri Lanka Cricket’s inbound tours from 2020 to 2023.
Island Clothing Company’ (LICC) signed for a further three-year term, thus becoming the ‘Official Casual Clothing Sponsor’ providing travel t-shirts and jeans for the National men’s, women’s, ‘A’ Team, Development Squad and the Under-19 team. The UK based Masuri Group Limited came on board as the ‘Official Cricket Helmet Partner’ of Sri Lanka Cricket. Locally, Sri Lanka Cricket signed a three-year partnership with My Cola Beverages (Pvt) Limited as the ‘Official Carbonated Beverages Partner’ of SLC. Further, Sri Lanka Cricket also signed an agreement with My Cola Beverages (Pvt) Limited as the ‘Official Bottled Drinking Water Partner’.
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