• Ride becomes official energy drink supplier

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Assistant Secretary Chryshantha Kapuwatte says that as cricket has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and as it is now starting to spread its wings to over 200 countries, more and more private firms are clamouring to join forces with SLC.

He made this comment in response to a question from a journalist as to why SLC had become “like bees to a honeypot,” as it was only weeks before that it had officially linked up with another firm to be its official beverage partner.

This was during an event held to announce Ride’s two-year partnership with SLC as the latter’s official energy drink supplier at The Kingsbury Colombo on Wednesday (4).

“The IOC has already acknowledged and recognised cricket as an Olympic team sport,” Kapuwatte explained.

“Hence, this particular sport is now destined to expand to over 200 countries in the world. That is the reality. 

“We are currently carrying out a programme under the leadership of our President to spread the brand of cricket from this country to other nations around the world. I think that is the reason why many private firms and companies are trying to link up with us,” he added.

The former SLC Secretary added that cricket had become a way of life for Sri Lankans, as much as rugby was to New Zealand or basketball was to America.

While noting that the tie up with Ride was one such endeavour in SLC’s broad initiative to elevate the game locally, he declined to disclose the value of the sponsorship, insisting that it was not the apt forum for the discussion.

Kapuwatte, who opined that Ride had been selected following a transparent bidding and tender process, further felt that cricket and SLC were tailor-made tools for locally manufactured products to be popularised both here and abroad.

“When our players continue to perform at optimum levels and when millions of people watch them across the world, that alone will do justice to these products. That is how I view this. 

“I think this is why so many firms are now starting to join forces with us, to take both cricket and their products to the global market and audiences. That may be the reason we have become so appealing lately,” he said.

Kapuwatte added that there would be more companies that would be willing to partner with the sport’s local body, stressing that the Shammi Silva-helmed institution would continue to take cricket to every nook and corner of this country through such agreements.

Sri Lanka white-ball Captain Charith Asalanka expressed his view that sponsorships of the nature of Ride would boost the overall performance of the national team.

He described such partnerships as being instrumental in unearthing hidden talent from all corners of the country, in order to identify players who would one day be in a position to represent their country on the global stage.

Sri Lanka Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva, who was also involved in the event, concurred with the sentiments expressed by his short-format skipper.

He noted that all cricketers in the country would receive a much-needed fillip to up their performance levels thanks to partnerships of this scale.

National Women’s Team Captain Chamari Athapaththu also spoke on similar terms and commended the sport’s local ruling body for having tied up with Ride, adding that the partnership could energise women cricketers as much as their male counterparts. 

(JK)