MUSCAT, OCT 18
Oman has a bright future in cricket if proper training and support are imparted to the sport and training the school children in cricket would fetch immense results, according to the visiting Sri Lankan Sports Minister, Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Youth and Sports.
In talks with the Oman Observer, Namal Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Development Co-ordination and Monitoring and State Minister of Digital Technology and Enterprise Development said that Oman has come a long way in terms of sports thanks to the visionary leaders.
“Oman has done a great job in bringing ICC T20 World Cup matches home and if proper guidance and training are given, the young players would see no limits in excelling and only the days to come will prove that,” the minister said.
“If Sri Lanka, which didn’t have a proper cricket set up some decades ago can bring the World Cup to its soil, Oman too can scale greater heights in the sport.”
There are lot of similarities between Sri Lanka and Oman geographically, culturally and in people to people relations. Both share the seafaring tradition since time immemorial and this year marks their 40th anniversary, according to the minister. The highly hospitable Omani people make the country all the more different.
He shared his experience in developing cricket back home with that of other countries.
“Now what we are doing in Sri Lanka is ushering and strengthening the school and domestic sports structures. Cricket teams in school levels and clubs are given more priority so that they can mould future stars.”
“Oman’s cricket stadium of this kind, this magnitude under this weather conditions and well maintained by dedicated personnel is something simply great, I must call it. This will help the nation in becoming the future hub of cricket.”
Sri Lanka A Squad will tour Pakistan in a couple of days and SL under-19 is playing Bangladesh in Colombo. Now, we have done the structure from bottom to top and that way we will have quality athletes climbing the ladder.
He opined that players needed more exposure, both domestically and internationally. The state should identify more players from the rural areas and bring them to the fore.
HOCKEY TOURNEY
An initiative to organise men’s as well as women’s hockey tourneys has been proposed by the visiting sports minister to Oman Hockey Federation.
He said that such an initiative will not only identify the future sports talents but also enhance the cultural, sports and diplomatic ties between the two countries.
“We have proposed hockey tourney, club level, men, women, and then four-nation hockey championship to the Oman Hockey Federation which has been conceptually agreed and we will follow it up very closely.”
OL Ameer Ajwad, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman hoped that such initiatives could help in strengthen the bilateral relations between the two federations.
“This will be the first time such a international hockey tourney between the two nations has been proposed. We know that this will further cement the bilateral ties and improve people to people relations, among others, at a time when both countries are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries”, he added.
—Ends—
Pic: Dr Marwan al Juma handing over a memento to Namal Rajapaksa, the visiting Sri Lankan minister of sports as OL Ameer Ajwad, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Sultanate looks on.
