SLC-web

Picture Credit: Sri Lanka Cricket

The India-Sri Lanka white-ball series is set to commence on July 13 and will see three ODIs and three T20Is being played between the two countries. And it is now being claimed that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will earn an estimated INR 89.7 crore from the high-profile series. Shammi Silva, President SLC, revealed that this was the reason they convinced BCCI to let them host six matches, instead of the initially agreed three matches.

Not only do the SLC expect to earn a lot of additional revenue, they are aiming to build a sustainable cricketing economy with that sum. The President added that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of cricketing tournaments and tours got cancelled but the board did not cut the salary of any of its players.

SLC will be able to provide a large income to the country: Silva

"We had initially finalised to host three matches. But after some negotiations with the Indian Cricket Board, we managed to increase the matches to six which will enable us to raise the additional US $6 million in revenue. SLC will be able to provide a large income to the country with Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa’s vision of building a strong economy through Sports," Silva was quoted as saying.

"We missed out on several tours as scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet we did not reduce the monthly salaries and allowances of our cricketers. None of their facilities were deducted either. In the face of this situation, the cricketers should give out their best display to the country," he added.

The Shikhar Dhawan-led side is already in the island country gearing up for the limited-overs games. All the matches are scheduled to be played in Colombo to avoid travelling amid the Coronavirus crisis.