ICC World Twenty20 takes off with Emirates

The ICC World Twenty20 cricket carnival starts in London this week and no ICC sponsor is more ready for the opening match than Official Partner Emirates airline. Emirates is doing its very best to gear cricket fans up for what is set to be an even bigger Twenty20 world cup than the hugely successful tournament in South Africa two years ago.

To kick off the excitement, Emirates hosted a signing session with some Australia players at the Fulham Broadway Retail Centre in London.

Brett Lee was joined by Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin and Nathan Bracken to sign memorabilia and meet fans who also got a glimpse of the trophy Australia aim to win.

And Lee hopes the exciting T20 format will help win the sport some new followers.

“We wanted to come down to Fulham to see fans and sign autographs, as well as ramp up some interest with the non-cricket fan base,” said the star bowler.

“This tournament is going to have millions of people from all over the world watching and we want to make sure everyone enjoys the show, no matter what sport they are into.

“They can see the ICC World Twenty20 trophy and learn what the tournament is all about.”

Dubai-based airline Emirates will play further part in the cricket carnival with the launch of the Emirates Flying Catch inflatable at Lord’s. It proved a real hit with fans during the warm-up games, giving them the chance to emulate their heroes by catching machine-fed deliveries to win Emirates flights and merchandise.

Emirates intends to keep the excitement flowing throughout the tournament by running a number of other promotions. The ‘Emirates Upgrade’ will be in full effect every day – where fans selected by the Official Match Referee will be approached by Emirates and handed tickets for some of the best seats in the house free of charge. Emirates cabin crew will also supply them with cooler bags containing gifts and refreshments to add to the experience.

And during both semi-finals and the final, Emirates intends to award lucky fans a pair of Business Class flights to Dubai if they are spotted in the crowd wearing Emirates baseball caps.

Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman Emirates Airline & Group, is an ardent cricket fan and is delighted that the airline is able to bring something a little bit different to the party.

“This is going to be an exciting sporting event where the fans will be entertained by the world’s best players at the home of cricket,” said Mr Flanagan. “We want to add to that entertainment by offering them the chance to interact with our sponsorship and come along to play the Emirates Flying Catch and win prizes.”

The ICC World Twenty20 is set to be a box-office hit after the recent IPL proved without doubt that the fast-paced T20 format has captured the imagination of cricket fans around the globe. Nearly 30 million TV viewers in India alone tuned in to watch Deccan Chargers beat Bangalore Royal Challengers in the final.

Defending ICC World Twenty20 champions India lost to New Zealand in their first warm-up match at Lord’s on Monday and will be keen to avoid more defeats now the the serious action is under way.

Star India batsman Yuvraj Singh, also a key member of Emirates airline-sponsored IPL side Kings XI Punjab, said: “All of the players have gained good preparation from the IPL tournament and we’re looking to defend our World Twenty20 crown against the best cricket players the world has to offer."