T&T cricketers secure sponsor on their own

TRINIDAD and Tobago cricketers have taken a bold proactive initiative in securing a major sponsor for the team which is set to compete at the Champions League Twenty20 tournament in India.

The veteran players on the national team were able to land a lucrative deal with Venky’s (India) Limited which is part of the VH Group.

Venky’s will be the main sponsor of the team and their image is expected to be placed on the national team’s jersey. The sponsorship will only be for the Champions League Twenty20 tournament and is reported to be in the region of US$100,000.

It is reported that Venky’s, TTCB and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) are finalising the details of the contract which will greatly enhance the chances of the team playing successfully in the lucrative competition.

Trinidad and Tobago are scheduled to depart on Sunday for India and there was growing uncertainty about the inability of the TTCB to secure a major sponsor ahead of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament.

However, the influence and marketing ability of players such as captain Daren Ganga, Denesh Ramdin, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons and Ravi Rampaul enabled the team to attract the India sponsor.

Venky’s (India) Limited was established in 1976 mainly to produce day-old layer and broiler chicks for poultry markets of North India. The company has diversified over the years and their portfolio also includes animal health products, pellet feeds, processed and further processed chicken products, solvent oil extraction and Specific Pathogen-Free Eggs.

Venky’s (India) Limited has also expanded away from poultry and is also involved with manufacturing facilities for nutritional health products for humans, pet food and health care products. Forbes Business magazine ranked Venky’s (India) Limited at 67th among the 100 best global small companies between 1999-2000.

Trinidad and Tobago are in Group “A” along with Indian Premier League Champions Deccan Chargers and English Twenty20 champions Somerset County.

The national team will bowl off their campaign against Somerset County on October 12 in Bangalore followed by Deccan Chargers on October 14 in Hyderabad. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knock-out stages of the tournament.

Should Trinidad and Tobago emerge outstanding in the Champions League Twenty20 Championship, Venky’s will become internationally known.

Kern Ramlochan
T&T Newsday