Sri Lanka will host a T20I tri-series, featuring India and Bangladesh, in March 2018 to celebrate their 70th year of independence.
The tri-series, which will be known as the Nidahas Trophy, will also mark the 70th year of the SLC.
Nidahas Trophy to be played next March
Sri Lanka Cricket announced earlier today their plans to stage the Nidahas Trophy 2018, in commemoration of Sri Lanka’s 70th year of independence, in March next year.
SLC President, Hon. Thilanga Sumathipala, the visionary behind this 2018 edition as well as the Nidahas Trophy 1998 – played in celebration of Sri Lanka’s and Sri Lanka Cricket’s 50th year] stated – “70 years is a long journey, and one that needs to be commemorated and celebrated. We are happy that our closest neighbours, who share more or less the same journey of independence, are joining us in this celebration, which we believe will be a milestone and an augur of the great things to come in the annals of cricket.”
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that seven T20Is will be played from March 8 to March 20 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The board further stated that each team is slated to lock horns twice with each other before the summit showdown on the 20th
“We are privileged to be a part of Sri Lanka’s 70th year celebrations, there is no closer friend to the BCCI than Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and when Sumathipala first floated this invitation, there was almost instant agreement that the Indian Team would participate for this reason,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri said.
Nazmul Hassan Papon, Bangladesh Cricket Board President, added: “The support and contribution of Sri Lanka and India in Bangladesh’s cricketing journey could not be overemphasized, and that this invitation was a clear testament to what a good friend Sri Lanka has been to Bangladesh’s Cricket.”
