SL WOMEN VS WEST INDIES WOMEN HOME ODI & T20 CRICKET SERIES
By Srian Obeyesekere
Mr. Janmesh Anthony, Marketing Director of Singer Sri Lanka PLC yesterday emphasised the major playmaker role Singer would be playing in supporting Sri Lanka Cricket’s hosting of the current ODI and T20 3-match apiece home series between the Sri Lanka Women’s XI and West Indies Women’s XI as the Sri Lanka Team Sponsor when the 3-fold sponsors, the others being Sunquick Lanka Pvt Ltd, and Nippon Paints Sri Lanka were announced at the Hilton Residencies, Colombo.
Anthony, in no uncertain terms emphasised what a big influence Singer Sri Lanka had been to supporting Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) dating back to 1996, and today’s role in giving a massive boost to the country’s women’s cricket as the Team Sponsor.
Addressing a packed media, Janmesh Anthony said that it is ‘our pride and excitement in supporting Sri Lanka Cricket once again as the Team Sponsor of the SL Women’s Team for the home series versus the West Indians. Singer, has in fact, unwaveringly been behind Sri Lanka Cricket since 1996. By supporting women’s cricket in the country, we aim to be right behind the team in championing women’s cricket on the international stage to the players shining on that global big stage to bringing glory.”
While expressing Singer’s deepest appreciation to SLC for tying up with the world famous electronic company, he wished the Sri Lanka Women’s Team the very best to pay bright cricket to victory in the exchanges with their West Indian counterparts.
Responding to my question as to Singer tying up with SLC, he said, “Our sponsorship is not a short one. There are lots of things in this major drive from the paving of a good market trend and a rowing economy in the road ahead.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Mangala Perera, Managing Director, Sunquick Lanka Pvt Ltd, the Sri Lanka Women’s Team Back of the Jersey Branding Sponsor for the tour, while expressing his pleasure to be associated in backing SLC by way of the women’s cricket in respect of making the team jersey fashionably great looking, extolled the timeless record of Sunquick as a market player both locally and internationally when he said, “We are exporting our products to 12 countries. I must emphasise that Sunquick is right behind Si Lanka Cricket for the women’s players to take their game to the next level internationally. With 70 per cent of the market share Sunquick is indeed happy to back the most popular game in Sri Lanka, and wish the captain Chamarie Athapaththu and the team to bring the world cup on day to Sri Lanka.”
Mangala Perera went on to make the point that Sunquick was so much behind SL cricket that ‘we also will be supporting schools’ cricket in a big way so as to greater fostering the game at that level in the country.
Mr. Nemantha Abeysinghe, General Manager, Nippon Paints Sri Lanka, the Team’s Lead Arm Sponsor for the tour, stressed that Nippon Paints was right behind SLC in further developing the game in the country.
Rumesh Ratnayake, known for his heyday brilliance when he played a special role in Sri Lanka’s first test victory against India, who has been the central force in turning around the women’s team and cricket to becoming known on the international stage by bringing down heavyweights such as England, South Africa and New Zealand, expressed the way forward going with this tour against the West Indies.
“We are not taking pressure on us. We take each team and analyse them in our preparations which is what we will be doing this time too. It is very specifically done.”
Ratnayake had a big thank you for the sponsors saying, “We are privileged to have these sponsors in a big way to knitting a good team.”
Chamarie Athapaththu, the Lankan skipper paid tribute to the Head Coach when she said, “I must say that this big winning change has been created by our Head Coach, Rumesh Ratnatnayake who has been a tremendous taskmaster in knitting the players together.”
The 3-match ODI series will commence with the first to be played at the Galle International Stadium on June 14 followed by the second on 17th and third on the 20th at the same venue while the 3-match T20 series will be staged at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota with the opener on June 24, the next on the 25thand the final game on the 27th.