Dialog Sri Lanka Cricket Awards to take place next month

From left: SLC CEO Ashley de Silva, Dialog Brand and Media General Manager Harsha Samaranayake, SLC Chairman Sidath Wettimuny, Captain Angelo Mathews and SLC Secretary Prakash 

The 2014/2015 Dialog Sri Lanka Cricket Awards will take place on 19 October, where Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will celebrate the accomplishments of Sri Lankan cricketers and clubs at both a domestic and international level over the past year.

This is the seventh consecutive year that the awards are being held and the third year in which it is being sponsored by Dialog.  

“Every player likes to be recognised at the end of a year, and there’s nothing like being felicitated at a grand occasion. Dialog are one of our key sponsors and I must thank them for their gesture. When you sponsor Sri Lanka Cricket, you are basically sponsoring the heart beat of our nation,” extolled SLC Chairman Sidath Wettimuny, at the launch event for the awards held in Colombo on Thursday.

He added that roughly 65 national cricketers will be feted with a total of 70 awards to be handed out locally and internationally. Club cricketers from the Under-23 and Women’s divisions, the Premier League and Premier League Limited Over Tournaments, Sara League and Donovan Andree tournaments and the Club T20 tournament will be recognised, while awards will also be presented in both the men’s and women’s categories for performances at international level.

Commenting on Dialog’s association with Sri Lanka Cricket, Dialog General Manager Brand and Media, Harsha Samaranayake, added: “Dialog is proud and humbled to have the opportunity to power the passion of our nation, as proud sponsors of Our Lions, Our Pride – the Sri Lanka Cricket team – during the past three years and we are privileged to support the 2015 edition of the cricket awards.”

As has become customary, two of the highlights will be the Dialog Cricketer of the Year award and the Dialog People’s Player of the Year award. Last year Angelo Mathews was named Cricketer of the Year while Kumar Sangakkara took home the People’s Player of the Year award with 19,462 votes. 

The Player of the Year will once again be chosen by the fans, who are encouraged to vote as many times as they want, both online on Facebook/Twitter by visiting www.dialog.lk/awards and also via SMS by typing DPP <space> the name of your favourite cricketer and sending to 2343. Standard messaging rates apply and there are no restrictions on mobile carriers. Voting closes on 18 October at midnight.

The 22 nominees for the Dialog People’s Player of the Year – Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhammika Prasad, Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dilruwan Perera, Jeewan Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Kumar Sangakkara, Kaushal Silva, TM Dilshan, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lasith Malinga, Mahela Jayawardena, Nuwan Pradeep, Nuwan Kulasekara, Upul Tharanga, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake, Shaminda Eranga, Suranga Lakmal, and Thisara Perera. (MB)