TN team named "Chennai Kings", Srikkanth brand ambassador

Chennai, Feb 18 (UNI) The first ball in the BCCI-promoted Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty-20 was virtually bowled today, with the formal launch of the name of Chennai Team ''Chennai Kings'' and its Logo of roaring lion.

India Cements Limited, which had won the bid as the franchisee of the Chennai team, christened it as ''Chennai Super Kings : Fearless Entertainers who will play to win''.

India Cements Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, TNCA President and BCCI Treasurer N Srinivasan launched the name of the team and the logo, at a press conference here in the midst of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) office bearers and other staff and many players, present and past.

He also announced the team's Brand Ambassador: former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Srinivasan said ''we are looking at the IPL as an opportunity to spread the game to all corners of the state and unearth fresh talent''.

''The tournament will have a mix of former, present and future cricketers, from Chennai and its catchment areas. The IPL has chosen Kerala and Railways as catchment areas for Chennai'', he said.

With eight teams in fray, he said there would be seven matches for each team to be played under 'Home and Away basis'. ''All the Home matches of Chennai Super Kings will be played under lights at the historic M A Chidambaram stadium from 2000 hrs to 2300 hrs'', Mr Srinivasan said and added that the IPL had made it mandatory that each team should have four Under-22 players.

''The four players might be from Chennai or from the catchment areas or both'', he told a questioner.

Mr Srinivasan sought the blessings of the people of this cricket loving city so that Chennai gets a balanced team when the names would be auctioned later this week.

On his role as Brand Ambassador, Srikkanth in his inimitable style regaled the gathering saying ''I am, in fact, the apt choice for this role for IPL T20 league, because I had never played more than 20 overs during my playing days''.

He said as a brand ambassador he would galvanise support for the team and ensure that the team wins all the matches, scheduled to commence from April.

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