Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India's largest Utility Vehicle (UV) manufacturer, has collaborated with the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) as its Title Sponsors. Featuring Twenty20 cricket matches, the schedule started on August 11, 2012 and the tournament will span for over three weeks. The first tournament is set to feature seven state teams in round-robin league format with Colombo and Kandy as the two venues. The cherry on the cake happens to be the privilege, which will be provided to the tournament winning team – an opportunity to participate in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament
From Left to Right – Aravinda De Silva, SP Shukla and Ruzbeh Irani
O the success of event, Upali Dharmadasa, President of Sri Lanka Cricket quoted, “Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is proud and honoured to have on board, one of India's leading business houses as the Title Sponsor of the Sri Lanka Premier League which shall now be referred to as the Mahindra Sri Lanka Premier League (or the Mahindra SLPL).” He further added, “Since the Mahindra brand is also a household name in Sri Lanka, we believe it is the perfect platform to take the message of the Sri Lanka Premier League, which is ‘Gama Rata Lokeya, Eka Karana’ or ‘Province, Country, World, Becomes One’ to the world.”
Expressing same sentiments, S.P. Shukla, President- Group Strategy and Chief Brand Officer, Mahindra Group commented, “Sri Lanka is a strategic market for the Mahindra Group which is already an established name in the country and what better medium than cricket to connect and engage with audiences as it is the most followed sport in the sub continent with a fan base of approximately 1.5 billion fans across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh alone.”
“We are thrilled to be associated with the Sri Lanka Premier League. With the leading lights of world cricket in the fray, we are positive that this League will be a huge success.” said Chief Executive – International Operations (Automobile and Farm Sectors), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., Ruzbeh Irani. He later said, “Mahindra has been actively associated with various sporting events and partnering SLPL endorses Mahindra’s commitment to promote a sporting and active lifestyle.”
Sports enjoy a prominent space in Mahindra’s culture and ethos. The connection between them is reflected by the Group’s affiliation with the Celtic football club, Moto GP, Canadian NASCAR, and now the SLPL is just an accretion in its perennial attempts to promote and endorse the significance of sports to the world. Mahindra aims at procuring a coherent partnership with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
The prestigious league boasts of world renowned stars of Twenty20 cricket and cricket fanatics are in for a wild ride with the announced participation of unstoppable West Indian batsman, Chris Gayle and crowd favourite Pakistan's Twenty20 captain, Shahid Afridi heading a list of numerous renowned talents who will participate in the League. The tournament is planned to conclude on August 31. Other high profile players are also taking part in the inaugural edition such as Australian hot shots Brad Hodge and Dirk Nannes, Pakistan's off spinning sensation Saeed Ajmal, New Zealand legends – Jacob Oram and Scott Styris, Tamim Iqbal from Bangladesh, and seasoned West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul. The tournament will also feature Sri Lankan A listers - Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardena, and Lasith Malinga in action.
24 games will be played in total and each team can have 18 players at most and can play four overseas players and the remaining seven being the local players. The Man of the Match player in all 24 matches will receive the title of “Mahindra Man of the Match” while the ‘Man of the Tournament’ will win himself an XUV5OO, courtesy of Mahindra & Mahindra. Just like India cricket happens to be a religion in Sri Lanka as well and Mahindra aspires to celebrate a cricket festival and Mahindra SLPL might just be the right occasion.
