Each of the seven participating teams were represented by 15 members
As the principal partner of the Barmy Army Fans World Cup 2023, SriLankan Airlines hosted cricket fans from Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom at the Galle International Stadium from November 20– 21.
In a press statement, SriLankan Airlines says it was contributory to the decision to pick out Galle as the host city of the event to mobilise global interest in Sri Lanka as a destination for adventure and sports.
With over 1.5 million social media followers and 40,000 members, this year’s Fans World Cup drew close to 100 international participants to Galle including officials from Barmy Army and the UK’s travel trade who competed as two separate teams representing the UK.
The airline says that the Barmy Army was founded during England’s 1994/95 Ashes tour of Australia. What started as a small group of 30 backpackers has now evolved into the world-famous supporters’ club that it is today.
Each of the seven participating teams were represented by 15 members and played two T10 fixtures on Day One to establish group stage positions. Day Two was packed in the knockout stages and semifinals while the tournament was live-streamed via Barmy Army’s social media channels.
SriLankan Airlines says it also planned fun activities on-ground including a social media contest in which a lucky winner received two return air tickets to travel between London and Colombo. The participants’ overall experience is likely to live up to Barmy Army’s motto ‘to have fun both on and off the pitch.’
The statement adds that the coastal city of Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering the perfect backdrop for a game of cricket for international cricket aficionados with its fusion of history, myth and magic.
In between matches, the international cricket fan players were drawn to discover the city’s charming, cobbled streets lined with colonial dwellings, churches and quirky little shops not forgetting its many cafes and ice cream parlours fortified by the grand, imposing 17th century Galle Fort.
SriLankan Airlines says it has been promoting the island for adventure and sport tourism through an assortment of events in the spheres of surfing, cycling, mountain biking, golfing and running over the years.
With each event, SriLankan Airlines has both successfully showcased Sri Lanka for its unparalleled beauty and warm culture as well as passed on the travel bug to tens of thousands of tourists to visit Sri Lanka.
