New Delhi: India’s ten of the country’s top cricket playing school teams have been qualified for the Inter-state round of the under- 16 Coca-Cola Cricket Cup. Starting 24thApril, 2013 matches will be played across six venues in Delhi. This initiative is undertaken by Coca-Cola India and is being promoted by Procam International. The commencement of the Inter-State leg was announced in the city on Monday by  Wasim Basir, Director Integrated Marketing and Communication of Coca-Cola in the presence of  P N Sankaran, Director Operations, Procam International and Martin Gleeson, Technical Advisor of Cricket India Academy.

Following the tournament, 24 of the best players will be shortlisted for an intensive seven-day coaching clinic to be conducted by coaches from the Cricket Indian Academy (CIA). Post the seven-day clinic, the Coca-Cola XI will be selected to travel to Sri Lanka and play a three-match series against the Sri Lankan National Under-16 side from May 27 to June 3.  

The Champion school of the Coca-Cola Cricket Cup will be awarded cash prize worth Rs.1 Lakh, while the runner-up school team will be awarded Rs 70,000, in-addition to winning individual awards for excellence.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Wasim Basir, Director Integrated Marketing and Communication of Coca-Cola India said, “It gives us immense pleasure and a great sense of satisfaction that many talented young players have been identified at the grassroots level and will now get groomed to go on to play bigger league games in the future. We are certain that this foundation laid for nurturing cricketing talent in the country will go a long way in taking cricket to the next level. On behalf of Coca-Cola India, I would like to congratulate all the ten teams for an astounding display of talent and wish them the very best for the future. Coca-Cola India has always believed in promoting healthy, active lifestyle through sports.”

PN Sankaran Director Operations, Procam International, said “It’s been an exciting period of competitive cricket that has now reached its climax. The champion school emerging from the Inter-State Leg can truly wear the mantle of the best under-16 cricket playing school in the country and the pool of 24 players selected post the tournament will be the best from under-16. We are delighted to have Coca-Cola India as our partners for The Coca-Cola U-16 Cricket Cup and this partnership has enabled us to encourage young cricketing talent in the country and served as an ideal platform to promote grassroots cricket, identify promising talent and groom the country’s next generation of International cricketers.”
 
Yashpal Sharma, former cricketer and Chief Guest on the occasion shared that it is good to see such tournaments being organized for under 16 and providing the selected 24 players with international standard training.