Asia Cup 2023: Jay Shah announces $50,000 reward for Colombo and Pallekele ground staff; Siraj gives away his cash prize

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah on Sunday gave away a special cash prize for ground staff involved in the rain-marred Sri Lankan leg of the 2023 Asia Cup. Shah handed over the cheque for the groundstaff during the post-match presentation ceremony. Shah, who also happens to be the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), made the announcement on the sidelines of the Asia Cup final between Sri Lanka and India at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium. “Big Shoutout to the Unsung Heroes of Cricket! “The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are proud to announce a well-deserved prize money of USD 50,000 for the dedicated curators and groundsmen at Colombo and Kandy,” Shah wrote in a post on X on Sunday shortly after the India-Sri Lanka final got underway. LIVE: India vs Sri Lanka, Asia Cup 2023 Final in Colombo Though Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) retained hosting rights for the tournament, a majority of the matches are taking place in Sri Lanka in the ‘Hybrid Model’. And given the weather in Sri Lanka at this time of the year, the ground staff at the Premadasa as well as at Kandy’s Pallekele International Cricket Stadium have been on the overdrive. “Their unwavering commitment and hard work made the Asia Cup 2023 an unforgettable spectacle. From pitch perfection to lush outfields, they ensured the stage was set for thrilling cricket action. 🏏 This recognition highlights the critical role these individuals play in cricket’s success. Let’s celebrate and honour their yeoman services!” added Shah.

🏏🏟️ Big Shoutout to the Unsung Heroes of Cricket! 🙌

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are proud to announce a well-deserved prize money of USD 50,000 for the dedicated curators and groundsmen at Colombo and Kandy. 🏆

Their unwavering commitment and…

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) September 17, 2023

Mohammed Siraj, who took six wickets, gave his Player of the Match cash ward of USD 5000 to the groundstaff. “I want to give this cash prize to the groundsmen. They deserve it. If they were not around, this tournament would not have been successful,” Siraj said at the presentation ceremony. The India vs Pakistan Group A fixture in Pallekele ended in a washout after the Men in Blue were bowled out for 266, despite the ground staff’s best efforts. That, however, was the only game to end in a No Result in the entire tournament, and the Colombo and Pallekele ground staff ensured the other matches reached a conclusion despite experiencing almost similar levels of rainfall. Sri Lankan cricket venues not only are known to be scenic, especially Pallekele and Galle, with some of the most vocal crowds in the cricketing world, they also stand out for covering the entire playing area in the event of rain. Read | Sundar replaces Axar as Sri Lanka opt to bat vs India in Asia Cup final The ground staff are among the quickest in bringing the covers out and covering the entire ground helps keep the outfield relatively dry and leads to quicker restart. The ACC also put in place a ‘Reserve Day’ for the India-Pakistan Super Four clash as well as the Final. The Indo-Pak contest did end up going into the Reserve Day, with India resuming from their overnight score of 147/2 to post a mammoth 356/2 on the board and bowl Pakistan out for a meagre 128 in reply.