Fans invited to send good luck messages to sides in World 20-20

Dubai, Apr.13 (ANI): Cricket fans are being offered a unique opportunity to inspire their team to victory at the ICC World Twenty20 2010.

In keeping with this event as a fun-filled celebration of the all-action Twenty20 International format, supporters are being encochar uraged by the ICC to send in their good-luck messages for the teams ahead of the start of the tournament which begins on 30 April.

The best messages will then be selected and added to a display in the dressing-rooms of each of the 12 men's teams competing at the event.

Just as the team talks of leading international captains, such as Chris Gayle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Shahid Afridi, will inspire the players in the build-up to matches, this competition creates the chance for supporters to share their thoughts with their favourite players in the inner sanctuary of the team dressing-room.

Fans can either e-mail [email protected], listing their name, where they are from, the team they support and their fan message, or they can post a comment on the official ICC World Twenty20 Facebook group at www.facebook.com/iccworldtwenty202010. All supporters are asked to make their contributions by Friday 16 April after which the best messages will be selected.

Members of the public who log on to the ICC World Twenty20 Facebook site have already had their say on which images should go on the dressing room walls. Among the iconic images to be selected are Pakistan's team lifting the trophy at Lord's at the 2009 event, India celebrating after the 2007 final and Chris Gayle smashing the ball into the stands at The Oval against Australia last year.

This is the latest initiative for the ICC World Twenty20 2010 that intends to involve supporters in all aspects of the tournament and create a fantastic party atmosphere for the event.

Ticket prices cost from just US$3 for ground entry to single group stage matches to US$5 for double-headers, US$8 for entry to Super Eight matches while tickets for the semi-finals in St Lucia range from US$10-20 and general admission to the men's and women's finals in Barbados on 16 May costing US$20 with a premium stand ticket for that double-header available for US$40.

Under-16s will gain entry free of charge for all group stage matches while enjoying significant discounts at all other fixtures while admission to the women's group matches in St Kitts is free to all.

Party stands will offer supporters a traditional area to watch the cricket, Caribbean style, while fans are also being encouraged to bring their most outrageous costumes, face paint, musical instruments and other noisemakers to matches as part of the "Bring It" campaign.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "We want to bring the supporters as close to the teams and action as possible during the ICC World Twenty20 2010. For the first time at an ICC event, we are going to provide fans with the chance to have their good-luck messages displayed in the dressing-rooms.

"When teams are getting ready to enter the fray, who knows the impact reading the messages sent in by their passionate supporters could have on the game's top international stars in inspiring them to play well?"

Tickets for the event can still be obtained by going to the ticketing page of the ICC World Twenty20 website at iccevents.yahoo.com. (ANI)