ICC World Cup 2011 mascot 'Stumpy' unveiled in Sri Lanka

With less than seven months to go before the beginning of the ICC World Cup 2011, its mascot has been unveiled in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo today. The event mascot's name was unveiled in a simple but impressive ceremony at P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on Monday ahead of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India with the presence of all stars including India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena.

The mascot, an elephant, has been named 'Stumpy' after an online selection process that drew proposals from thousands of cricket fans around the world, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said. The lucky winner is to receive a cricket bat signed by the all-star quartet of Dhoni, Tendulkar, Sangakkara and Jayawardena. Stumpy was represented by a real life elephant at the launch in Colombo.

ICC CWC 2011 Tournament Director Prof Shetty who was in Colombo for the launch has said that, with 200 days to go before the opening match, plans in all three host countries, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh were on track.  "The preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 are on course and I'm happy with the progress we have been making," he has said.  At the launch Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has said that winning the Cricket World Cup was his childhood dream.

"The World Cup means everything to us. It is the one point of the cricketing calendar everyone looks forward to and wants to win it. We just have to make sure that we understand how privileged we are to be in that position and carry the hopes and aspirations of so many people," Sangakkara has said.  Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold 12 matches including a semi final at three venues.

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