Leading test playing countries such as Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka will participate at this tournament for which are being made by the World Blind Cricket Council.
A team of 17 players was chosen to represent Sri Lanka in June 1998 and have been hard at practice. In addition to several practice matches, special training for the team was arranged by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka at the CCC grounds, in the last week of October. The team is led by Chandana Kumara Suriyaarachchi with Kumudulal Samarasinghe as the vice-captain. Most of the players are from the Schools for the Blind at Ratmalana and Tangalle, the University of Kelaniya and the Seeduwa Vocational Training Centre of the Department of Social Services. Our team is expected to perform creditably.
The team will be accompanied by four officials. The WBCC is providing all facilities for the teams stay in India whilst the costs of the air tickets, uniforms and other requirements are being met from generous donations received from th Central Governments, Provincial Councils, Air Lanka Ltd. - the National carrier and other Private Sector benefactors.
Mr. U. R. Rodrigo, Superintendent of Social Services, will accompany the team as Manager, whilst Mr. Alex M. Jayawardena (who is an senior office bearer in several organisations of the blind) will be the Assistant Manager.