Assetline Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Limited and Pearl Bay are teaming up to sponsor the first-ever Mercantile Cricket Association (MCA) T+10 Cricket Tournament 2024. The tournament will take place on April 27, 28, May 4, and May 5.
Sixteen MCA teams are set to participate in this historic event. They are: Recovery Room, Powerhand Plantations, Peoples Leasing Co., Ansell Textiles, George Steuarts Health, Emar Pharma, Certis Lanka, Softlogic Life, Citizens Development Business Finance (CDB), David Pieris Group of Companies, Dialog Axiata PLC, Hilton Colombo Residencies, Seylan Bank, Astron Lanka, LOLC & Maliban Biscuits.
The tournament will feature matches played on matting wickets with the white ball, and players wearing coloured clothing. It will be divided into two stages, with a total of 31 matches.
During the league stage, the 16 teams will be divided into 4 groups and will play 24 matches in a round-robin format. The top 2 teams from each group will advance to the Knockout quarter-finals, consisting of 7 matches, including the Final.
Matches will be spread across different venues: MCA, Dharmapala College Pannipitiya, and De Mazenod College Kandana. On April 27 and 28, four matches will be held simultaneously at each venue. Quarter-finals will take place on May 4 at De Mazenod College Kandana, and the semi-finals and final will be on May 5 at MCA.
The sponsorship handing over ceremony, along with a media conference, captains briefing, and the draw for groupings, took place on April 24 (Wednesday) at the MCA Legends Wing at 6.30 pm. Attendees included Ms. Romany Parakrama, Director of David Pieris Motor Co. Pvt Ltd and Chairperson of Assetline Insurance Brokers (Pvt.) Ltd; Dhanika de Silva, Director of Assetline Insurance Brokers (Pvt.) Ltd and Chairman of David Pieris Leisure (Pvt) Ltd; Nihan Handunge, Managing Director and CEO of Assetline Insurance Brokers (Pvt.) Ltd; Gribson Hapukotuwa, Director/ CEO of David Pieris Leisure (Pvt) Ltd; MCA President Mahesh de Alwis; and MCA General Secretary Rohan Somawansa. (SJ)
