Sri Lanka Cricket has announced the fixtures of the Nidahas Trophy 2018 to be played in March. It”s a tournament played in celebration of Sri Lanka”s 70th year of independence and subsequently the 50th year of Srilanka”s cricket board.
The tournament will be a triangular series of T20 Internationals to be played between India, Bangladesh and the hosts Srilanka. Teams will play each other twice before the tournament gets completed with a final.
The concept was firstly announced by the administrators of the three countries in March last year. And now the fixtures have been released.
Speaking at the launch, Bangladesh Cricket Board President, Nazmul Hassan Papon, stated that “the support and contribution of Sri Lanka [and India] in Bangladesh’s cricketing journey could not be overemphasized, and that this invitation was a clear testament to what a good friend Sri Lanka has been to Bangladesh’s Cricket.” He added, “This Tournament too, would no doubt continue to strengthen the bonds between the 3 nations”
BCCI CEO, Rahul Johri said, “We are privileged to be a part of Sri Lanka’s 70th year celebrations, there is no close friend to the BCCI than Sri Lanka [and Bangladesh] and when Mr. Sumathipala first floated this invitation, there was almost instant agreement that the Indian Team would participate for this reason.”
SLC President, Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala, [the visionary behind this 2018 edition as well as the Nidahas Trophy 1998 – played in celebration of Sri Lanka’s and Sri Lanka Cricket’s 50th year stated:
“70 years is a long journey and one that needs to be commemorated and celebrated. We are happy that our closest neighbors, who share more or less the same journey of independence are joining us in this celebration, which we believe will be a milestone and an augur of the great things to come in the annals of cricket.”
Srilanka cricket has also announced Hero Motor Corp as the title sponsors for the tournament hence it will be called “Hero Nidahas Trophy”.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) this morning announced the successful tie-up with several internationally reputed partners, thus making the Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018, a T20 Tri-Series, a tremendous commercial success, thus estimating a net profit of Rs. 1 billion.
This is the first time since 2004, SLC solely went into the international market and secured partners to grant media and broadcasting rights of the Hero Nidahas Trophy 2018.
Accordingly, DSports, a unit of Lex Sportel Vision Private Limited and Channel 9 of the ABL Group Private Limited was granted the Broadcasting and Media Rights for the Territory of India and Bangladesh, respectively. ITW Consulting Private Limited was awarded the ground sponsorship, advertisement and residual media rights of the upcoming tri-series.
All the games will be played at the R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
The fixtures are as follows:-
6th March 2018 – Sri Lanka vs India
8th March 2018 – Bangladesh vs India
10th March 2018 – Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
12th March 2018 – Sri Lanka vs India
14th March 2018 – Bangladesh vs India
16th March 2018 – Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
18th March 2018 – Final
