The Sri Lanka’s Blind Cricket team selected to represent the country at the forthcoming Twenty/20 World Cup scheduled to commence on December 01 in Bangalore, India is faced with the problem of finding sponsors for the Tour. The expenses for the tour is to cost around Rs. 1.2million is yet to be found by the organizers.
The twelve member team is led by Chandana Suriyaarachchi includes another eleven members. According to the skipper Chandana the team had to undergo many difficulties as they do not possess a permanent place for their practices though they commenced practices Monday. He further said that these cricketers who are housed in different places had to find their own mode of transport when arriving for practices.
Some members are still to receive their passports and also Air tickets for the tour. The Ministry of Sports and the Sri Lanka Association for the handicapped have donated a sum of Rs 400,000. Mean while Sri Lanka;s national cricketer T.M. Dilshan has come forward to help these handicapped cricketer by way of providing clothing for the players during the World Cup.Former National Captain and MP too has assured assistance for the team.
The selection of players for the national players was done during the ‘Dilmah’ Cricket tournament for the handicapped players. Three soldiers who lost their sight in action during the ethnic war too are selected represent the country at this tournament. These players are categorized as Complete Blind (B1), Half Sight (B2) and Medium Sight (B3). On the team has to have a combination three each from B2 and B2 while balance two players come from the B1.
The first ever World Cup T/20 for the Handicapped player is competed by nine Test playing countries, Pakistan, England, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and host contry India. The only non Test playing country to participate is Nepal.
Sri Lanka has participated in the World Cup in 1998, 2000 and 2006 and this is their fourth appearance in a world Cup competition and the team deserves all support to make this tour. Skipper Chandana says that though they are handicapped they too are keen in bringing glory to motherland and requests all to support in any possible way for his team to make this tour a success.
The aquad for the tou:
B1 – Dimuthu Ravindra, Samnan Kumara, B. Chaminda, Chaminda Pushpakumara and Nuwan Tharanga, Kosala Herath
B2 – Dinesh Matugama, Sulochana Gunewardena, Madhuka Jayasinghe, Upul Sanjeewa, Madhushanka Vishwanath
B3 – Chamdan Suriyaarachchi (Captain), Ruwan Karunatilleke (V. Captain), Dimuthu Perera, Ranjith Jayaratne, Kalyan Kumara and Chandan Deshapriya.
Oficials – Jagath Rajapaksa (Coach), Nobert Silva (Manager), D.N. Seneviratne (Umpire), S.K. Athulathmudali (Match Referee), U. Priyantha (Asst. Manager)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)