Asian Cricket Council President Jay Shah expressed his admiration for the dedication and hard work of groundsmen and curators in Colombo and Kandy, whose relentless efforts ensured the Asia Cup tournament proceeded despite challenging weather conditions.
Shah announced a cash reward of $50,000 through a post on social media platform X, "Big Shoutout to the Unsung Heroes of Cricket! The 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."
He further emphasised their instrumental role in making Asia Cup 2023 a remarkable event. The groundsmen faced a daunting task during the Super 4 match between India and Pakistan, dealing with persistent rain on both the original and reserve days. Despite these challenges, their efforts ensured the match proceeded, culminating in India emerging victorious over their arch-rivals.
According to the Indian Express, one of the key figures, Godfrey Dabare, the national curator of Sri Lanka Cricket, played a central role. He supervised a team of around 60 ground staff and hired an additional 50 labourers for the Asia Cup, well aware of the obstacles they might face due to inclement weather.
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