A million plus raised for rural cricket by Standard Chartered and SLC

Monday, 31 August 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Standard Chartered and Sri Lanka Cricket hosted a cocktail for clients and the cricketers of the Sri Lanka and India Cricket teams on 26 August.

The focus of the evening’s event was a memorabilia auction which raised over a million rupees in support of the program to uplift rural cricket – Street to Stadium. Team members from both the India and Sri Lanka sides, the Chairman Sri Lanka Cricket Sidath Wettimuny and Chief Executive Standard Chartered, Jim McCabe, attended the event together with officials.

Standard Chartered and Sri Lanka Cricket have joined to introduce a sustainability perspective to international tours, and have leveraged international cricket tours to raise funds and awareness for joint community investment initiatives.

Standard Chartered Head of Corporate Affairs/Brand and Marketing Sanjeewani de Silva said: “Over Rs. 1 million was raised and we are absolutely delighted! The funds will go towards infrastructure development for cricketing talent in the north and east. We are very grateful to our clients who graced the event and bid generously. The bank will continue to work with Sri Lanka Cricket to raise even more funds so that this aspiration maybe realised.”

Street to Stadium focuses on growing rural cricket by improving infrastructure and equipment, and providing opportunities for talent that may remain undiscovered, the prospect of developing skills and talent, and encouraging achievement and career progression.

The goal of this program, in the main, is to provide nets and pitches to rural cricket clubs. Previous such initiatives have raised funds to support the Sri Lanka Visually Handicapped XI in their bid for the World Cup in South Africa in 2014. Funds were utilised towards travel, accommodation and equipment expenses.

The focus on improving conditions for rural cricket is an extension of Standard Chartered’s partnership with Sri Lanka Cricket to introduce a community investment perspective to international cricket tours. Funds will continue to be raised via similar activities around future international tours and that Sri Lankans will come together as a nation to foster and showcase underprivileged talent and afford opportunities to rural youth.

–Pix by Krishan Ranasinghe