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A 20-member Sri Lanka cricket team will take part in the indoor cricket world cup which will be worked off in Wellington, New Zealand from September 29 to October 6, 2002.

The Sri Lankan team will be sponsored by Caltex Lubricants Lanka Limited who have come forward with a Rs. two million sponsorship package. SriLankan Airlines are the co-sponors of the Sri Lankan team.

The Managing Director of Caltex Lubricants Kishu Gomes speaking at a press briefing held at Galadari Meridien Hotel on Wednesday said that Caltex came forward to sponsor indoor cricket as it was an exciting game. Already his firm has revived motor sports and will go all out to popularise indoor cricket in the country. Caltex has decided to sponsor the national indoor cricket team till the 2004 world cup.

The head of sales and marketing of Caltex Lubricants Lanka Vajira Abeysinghe said that Caltex Lubricants Lanka Limited, steps up to sponsor and power the national indoor cricket team from the 2002 world cup to the 2004 world cup.

The Ceylon Indoor Cricket Association, the pioneers in introducing indoor cricket to Sri Lanka has done a marvellous job in developing indoor cricket up to world standards. The national indoor cricket team in their short career has played four tournaments that consisted of 12 international matches. Of these the team has so far lost only to Australia the current world champions. The team's impressive track record and the game turning into one of the fastest growing sports in Asia have made it easier for the association to gain sponsors with big brand names.

With the rapid momentum gathered locally for the sport and the team achieving international standards Caltex's association is nothing but right in coming forward to partner the national indoor cricket team. Also it will be the first sport to host a world cup in Sri Lanka.

Caltex's decision being associated with sport - indoor cricket is in keeping with the global image the company has always maintained in the past. Caltex can boast of successful partnerships in developing the brand Caltex and the sport in many of its partnerships such as Caltex Rugby where we took over the responsibility to sustain and develop rugby, at a time when the union was in dire need of a sponsor. Our commitment for 3 years have been significant growth in interest and the crowds improving at matches giving the sport the old glory it used to enjoy. Caltex is also partnering the SSC 1st XI cricket team that is the premier cricket club in Sri Lanka producing most number of the national level players for Sri Lanka. The company has also been profoundly involved in motor sports which we dominate even today fielding a team of over 20 members for any racing event.

The sponsorship of Caltex will see the men's and women's team tour of New Zealand and be supported till the next world cup to be held in Sri Lanka. The other co-sponsors are Austasia Sports Private Ltd, SriLankan Airlines, Lanka Yalta (Pvt) Ltd and Emerald International.

Indoor cricket is a game with lot of potential which can go a long way. We can be the second best after Australia and Caltex is proud to be the main sponsor of the national indoor cricket team.

The chief executive officer of CICA Chitral Amarasiri said that the Ceylon Indoor Cricket Association, the pioneers in introducing indoor cricket to Sri Lanka and developing indoor cricket to world standards take pleasure in announcing the fastest growing sport in Asia, namely indoor cricket has caught on with such rapid momentum locally.

The Ceylon Indoor Cricket Association was able to form a national team that was able to topple the world champions 'Australia' in their very first encounter. Earlier when the team toured Australia, to participate in their inter-state tournament, the Sri Lankan side returned to the island with a 6-1 victory under their belts. In the recent series against the world ranked No. 2, England, the locals proved 'fit to be' the world champions by making a clean sweep 3-0 against the English indoor team.

With the rapid improvement locally, the World Indoor Cricket Federation has included us as full members and Sri Lanka has won the World Cup hosting rights in year 2004. CICA is proud to announce that the 5th Indoor Cricket World Cup will be the first ever World Cup to be held locally in any sport.

Sri Lanka will be sending two teams, men's and women's and both teams are tipped to be firm favourites to enter the finals of World Cup 2002.

This unique record, being achieved at an international level and has caught the eye of many commercial organisations, which resulted in every tournament that was in Sri Lanka, been sponsored by some of the biggest brands in the island.

The Sri Lanka squad:

Men's squad: Asela Pathirana (captain), Lyndon Hannibal, Chrishantha Peiris, Roshan Weerasinghe, Dilshan Witharana, Sanjeewa Jayaratne, Tharindu Mendis, Iroshan de Silva, Thushendra Zoysa, Chandika Sisira Kumara.

Women's squad: Vanessa de Silva (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Hiroshi Abeysinghe, Hiruka Fernando, Rose Fernando, Gayathri Kariyawasam, Thanuja Ekanaike, Sandamali Dolawatte, Andromida Withanage, Eshani Lokusuriyage.

Officials: Sachitra Siribaddana (coach), Thiran Tenabandu (tour manager).

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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