No shot played but Sri Lanka cricket pockets another score | Sunday Observer

No shot played but Sri Lanka cricket pockets another score

4 October, 2020
Sri Lanka cricketer and Red Bull athlete Niroshan Dickwella (right) joins the brand’s tournament director Brendon Kuruppu (centre) and Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva in sealing a commercial deal  (Pic by Vipula Amerasinghe)
Sri Lanka cricketer and Red Bull athlete Niroshan Dickwella (right) joins the brand’s tournament director Brendon Kuruppu (centre) and Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva in sealing a commercial deal (Pic by Vipula Amerasinghe)

Country after country may be turning their backs on Sri Lanka but benefactor after benefactor pumping in the big bucks to reload the cricket team in the latest trend where no action takes place while off-field shows are the name of the game.

This time it came in the form of what is been touted as the world’s best known energy drink Red bull who entered the ring as the team’s latest motivator and promoter.

Having tied up with over 800 global sporting icons, Red Bull through its Sri Lanka athlete, cricketer Niroshan Dickwella, spread their wings by becoming the team’s official energy drink for the next three years.

“We need partners like world renowned Red Bull to form partnerships.

“I am hopeful that this partnership we established today will continue to grow and are confident that Red Bull will take this opportunity and harness their partnership with Sri Lanka cricket to enhance their brand globally,” said Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva.

Its launch at Colombo’s Cinnamon Grand Hotel was heralded with some glitter provided by one of the island’s promising teen idols and brand ambassador Yohani Silva, who performed a musical rendition before Dickwella and his team captain Dimuth Karunaratne joined in to switch on the deal.

“Red Bull is synonymous with athletes who keep pushing and testing their limits to new heights and able to contribute successfully to the progress of young sportsmen,” said Tournament Director of international campus cricket for Red Bull the former Sri Lanka batsman Brendon Kuruppu.

The value of the sponsorship was not disclosed officially but with Red Bull solidly being streets ahead of rival energy providers, the figure runs into millions and the Sri Lanka team will have access to an unlimited supply of the canned liquid during tours and matches marking the first time that the global brand has tied up with international cricket.

But nothing could hide the fact that Sri Lanka has suffered badly more than many other countries by way of sports following the coronovirus pandemic and Wednesday’s ceremony came just a day after Bangladesh became the third country to announce its withdrawal from touring joining South Africa and India that also slammed the door.

The series against Bangladesh which was part of an ICC directed Test championship was originally scheduled for July but dragged on as both countries traded demands and counter demands over quarantine issues that made it one of international cricket’s biggest stalemates.

Sri Lanka also pushed back its internationally flavoured domestic T20 championship by a week hoping to buy more time on quarantine for overseas players following a second and seemingly mismanaged Covid 19 scare in the country.

 

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