The first of its kind to be held in Sri Lanka, the tournament will serve as a platform for differently abled students, from across Sri Lanka to showcase their talent, skill and love for the country’s favourite sport. 

Participating in the tournament will be students from a number of schools across the island, including the Deaf and Blind School in Bandarawela, the Deaf and Blind School in Moneragala, the Deaf and Blind School in Tangalle, the Panchaliya Special School in Weligama and the School for the Blind in Ratmalana. The entire tournament will be conducted at the School for the Blind in Ratmalana, where visiting teams will be accommodated overnight. The tournament will include 50-minute matches where teams of six players from different schools will compete, culminating in a final match, from which the winners and best individual performers will be selected. Awards will be presented to the champion and runner up teams, as well as the best player, best batsman and best bowler of the tournament. 

Commenting on SFML stepping forward as the sponsor of this initiative, a Senior Manager of the Company stated: “We are very pleased to sponsor the ‘7 Star Six-a-Side Blind Cricket Tournament 2018’, which we believe will be an excellent opportunity for these students to come together and explore their talent and celebrate their love for cricket. Supporting initiatives of this nature allows us to truly ‘Nourish the Nation’ by making a meaningful difference and impact in the lives of these children who are an important part of our society. This is the first time we are hosting such a tournament in Sri Lanka, and we hope to make this an annual event which differently abled children from across Sri Lanka can look forward to every year.”

Serendib Flour Mills has a long-standing history with the School for the Deaf and Blind in Ratmalana, and as part of its CSR outreach programme, the company has conducted several workshops and vocational training sessions with the students, teaching them how to bake with 7 Star Flour. SFML has engaged with the students on a regular basis, and this tournament will enable the company to positively impact the lives of differently abled students attending other education institutions as well, fostering an important sense of team work, discipline, inclusivity and camaraderie amongst them. 

Serendib Flour Mills is one of the leading flour mills in Sri Lanka and is a joint venture between Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA). The company’s 7 Star brand of flour has been nourishing the nation for 10 years and embodies purity, innovation, quality, freshness, expertise, service and trust. SFML is committed to becoming the number one producer of wheat flour in Sri Lanka and the preferred flour supplier in international markets. SFML launched its operations with a state-of-the-art single-line capacity wheat flour mill in the Port of Colombo on 26 May 2008. The company has developed and implemented an integrated management system (IMS) based on ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, BS OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 22000:2005 requirements. The system complies with applicable laws and regulations, international standards and codes, and best manufacturing practices in the areas of quality, environment, occupational health and safety and food safety.