MUMBAI, India – April 28, 2012 – Emirates, the international airline with 185 weekly flights from India and the Team Sponsor of Deccan Chargers, provided an unforgettable experience for a group of lucky youngsters by staging a surprise coaching session with the IPL club’s star players.
What seemed like an ordinary trip to the local cricket pitch soon turned into a day that will be etched into the memories of unsuspecting pupils from Mumbai’s Yusuf Meharali School who came face to face with Kumar Sangakkara, Dale Steyn and Cameron White.
The budding cricketers were ecstatic when they met the players who signed autographs and posed for pictures, while they also presented them with Deccan Chargers T-shirts and caps as a memento of their day.
“It was a complete shock when they arrived. I couldn’t believe it when the Deccan Chargers players got out of the car. I will never forget it,” said 14 year-old Harshad Lad. “It’s like a dream for me to share nets with such a big cricketer like Sangakkara. Unbelievable!”
“As professional cricketers, it is our responsibility to support the development of young talent,” said Sangakkara. “It was a great initiative from Emirates – activities like this can motivate youngsters to be the best player they can be. Having fun is the most important factor in their development, but meeting a professional reminds kids that we are just ordinary people and that, with hard work and dedication, they too could forge a career in the game,” added the Deccan Chargers captain.
The youngsters were then treated to a cricket master class, headed up by Head Coach Darren Lehmann and Assistant Coach Kawaljeet Singh, before they tested out their new skills by bowling and batting against their heroes today at the Islam Gymkhana, Marine Drive.
Emirates Airline – an ICC Official Partner – has a long history of supporting cricket through its various sponsorships across the globe and hopes to contribute to the development of the grassroots game in India.
“It is immensely satisfying that, through our sponsorship of the Deccan Chargers, Emirates is able to stage initiatives which make such a positive impact on young people,” said Mr Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Vice President – India & Nepal. “It was incredible to see the look on the youngsters’ faces when they found out who was coaching them today. It is an experience they will always remember and hopefully it will give them the belief that they too can do great things with their lives,” added Mr Abbas.
About Emirates and India
Emirates (www.emirates.com/in), one of the fastest growing international airlines connects 10 destinations in India to its global network with 185 weekly flights. The airline reported a net profit of USD$1.6 billion for the 2010/11 fiscal year. It operates 171 wide-body Airbus and Boeing aircraft and has orders for an additional 232 aircraft, worth more than USD$84billion. Emirates has been serving India since it began operating in 1985 and stimulates trade between the country and points across its network of 123 destinations by carrying more than 3000 tonnes of cargo each week in the belly-hold of passenger aircraft. In addition, Emirates operates one weekly scheduled freighter to Chennai, a Boeing 777F with a capacity of 103 tonnes. The airline also has an impressive sponsorship portfolio in India with a notable interest in cricket through its association with the Deccan Chargers, while in golf it is the Official Airline of the Avantha Masters.
About Emirates’ Commitment to Cricket
Emirates’ ICC Official Partner status gives the airline sponsorship rights to all ICC major tournaments, including the ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy and ICC World Twenty20, which in 2012 will be staged in Sri Lanka. It also sponsors the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, ICC Under-19 World Cup, ICC Intercontinental Cup and the ICC Women’s World Cup.
In partnership with the ICC, Emirates sponsors the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Referees, an agreement which sees the Fly Emirates logo prominently displayed on the umpires’ clothing at all ICC events.
In addition, Emirates is the Team Sponsor of Deccan Chargers and will be supporting the Hyderabad club in the IPL until 2014.
Emirates also supports English County side Durham as the shirt sponsor of its Twenty20 side, while it also has naming rights to the club’s stadium, the Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground.
Emirates sponsors domestic cricket in Pakistan and is involved with a number of tournaments, including the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2011-12, Pentagular Cricket Cup 2011-12, OneDay Cricket Cup 2011-12 and Super 8 T20 Cricket Cup 2012.
About Deccan Chargers:
Deccan Chargers is an IPL franchise that represents the city of Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. The Deccan Chargers franchise is owned by the Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited. Deccan Chronicle is the largest circulated daily in South India. Deccan Chargers turned the tide in their favour by winning the second season of IPL -2009 in South Africa and making it to the semi-finals in the IPL-2010.
The Deccan Chargers mascot represents a raging bull signifying strength, power and aggression while the red and gold bands on the flag stand for dominance and victory.
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