Hub of Cricket Information

The unveiling ceremony of cricket World Cup 2011 trophy will be held in Lahore today. 

Pakistani cricket team players among Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials will attend the ceremony, which is to be held at Royal Palm Golf Club.

The press conference will also be arranged on the occasion.All the matches of cricket World Cup 2011 will be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Former Test cricketer Syed Kirmani unveiled the 2011 ODI World Cup Trophy here on Wednesday and hoped Team India will end the 28-year-old wait and win it next year.

Kirmani, a member of the 1983 World Cup winning Indian squad, recalled the triumph of the Kapil Dev-led side and said the country's win taught the cricketing fraternity that any team could humble the world champions on its day.

Wishing good luck to the Indian team for the event beginning in February, he said, "The performance this year is a good omen. We had been waiting for 28 years to win the World Cup. Hopefully, this will happen in 2011 and Sachin Tendulkar's dream to win the World Cup in his career is fulfilled."

The ex-stumper praised Team India for its emphatic win over Australia in Bangalore, and said the Test showed the five-day game still had the capacity to attract spectators.

"It was an excellent performance. Everyone, in fact, you people (media) had said Test cricket should not be played.

It will dim. Now see what sort of results are coming out. Two days ago, everyone felt it (Bangalore Test) was going to be a draw. But now you see what has happened."

Terming the win as "historic", Kirmani said it was good to see youngsters contributing in the team's victory.

Singling out Tendulkar for praise, he described the batting maestro as a "legendary cricketer". "Whenever he bats, he makes history or crosses some milestones. Hopefully, he will make some unbreakable records."

(with inputs from agencies)

The solid gold trophy has reached the shores of KwaZulu-Natal after travelling around the world for 225 days in 86 countries. It arrived in the province yesterday. This week it will head to Richards Bay and Pietermaritzburg. This is the first time ever that the trophy has made a trip across the entire host country. It will be at the Isikhaweni Community Hall in Richards Bay tomorrow from 10am to 6pm and then in Pietermaritzburg at the Royal Showgrounds on May 18 from 10am until 6pm.

Eight lucky readers from Pietermaritzburg will have the opportunity to win their own "Pashasha Moment" which will see them get the chance to have their pictures taken with the trophy. All you have to do is answer the question: Which country was the last to win the World Cup trophy? E-mail your answers to kznextra@sundaytimes.co.za no later than 11am tomorrow.

Two new movies are out on circuit. The first is Edge of Darkness which sees Mel Gibson return to movies after eight years. The thriller is about a Boston homicide detective, Thomas Craven, played by Gibson. Craven's 24-year-old daughter, Emma, is killed on the front steps of his home. This leads Craven on an emotional journey to find the truth behind his daughter's murder with startling consequences as he discovers that she may have led a secret life. Gibson has been praised for his role in the movie as the grief-stricken father after his hiatus from cinema. If a light-hearted romantic comedy is more for you, then catch The Back-up Plan. The movie stars Jennifer Lopez as Zoe, a shy 30-something who has the habit of pushing people away. Her lifelong dream is to have a baby and because there is no one in her life, she decides to be artificially inseminated. Shortly after the procedure, she meets Stan (Alex O'Loughlin). As usual, Zoe is afraid of letting him in and decides to tell him she is pregnant to scare him off. However, Stan surprises her and decides to continue their relationship.

Actors are encouraged to audition for a newly formed theatre group, Green Light Productions. The group is putting on a new play about the lives of the early indentured labourers who arrived in South Africa in the 1860s. It requires a cast of five between the ages of 20 and 35 years - four males and one female - for the roles of workers on a sugar cane estate. It is written by Yusuf Haffejee and will be directed by Hoosen Farouk Sayed. Those inte-rested should send a brief CV to greenlightdbn@gmail.com or call Farouk on 0845818186 or Vivian on 0847601096.

Take a trip to the most beautiful stadium in South Africa. The Moses Mabida Stadium in Durban will put on fun promotions before it is handed over to Fifa for the World Cup in June. Make sure you get to the stadium and try out attractions like the skycar which has become the most popular tourist attraction in the city. More than 80000 people have made the trip to the top of the 106-metre arch to experience stunning views. Also experience the big swing, skywalk and go on a stadium tour. There will be lots of giveaways, special offers and promotions until May 24. Two people can win tickets for the skycar, skywalk or the stadium tour. Visit Big Rush, Keg and Spear, STS Sports and Sneakers.

If you enjoy all things Italian, then join the Societa Dante Alighieri, Italian Cultural Society as they present a Fashion and Food Fusion in Durban. The event, a women's breakfast, will take place on May 21. There will be a delicious traditional Italian breakfast with a goodie bag and a talk by fashion designer and image consultant Liliam Longden. Longden will talk on the changing role of women through the ages and how clothing has evolved to suit these changing roles. The event is 8am for 8.30am. Tickets are R150. For more information or to book, call 0315637633 or e-mail dante.alighieri@telkomsa.net.

Get into the spirit of soccer and visit the 2010 Fine Art Exhibition in Durban. It is a visual feast for soccer fans. There will be leading contemporary artists from around the world and from across Africa and it is one of the largest international art collaborations in history. There will be two collections the 2010 International Fine Art and 2010 African Fine Art which will offer collectors and football fans a chance to see and experience the 2010 Fifa World Cup captured by some of the world's greatest artistic talents. Entry is free. The exhibition will take place from June 1 until July 31 at the Zone at Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World.

For a birthday celebration, catch the Old Mutual Birthday Concert in Johannesburg today. If you are an Old Mutual client, all you need to do is register your ID number or policy number at www.omday.co.za for your chance to attend and celebrate. You can bring your family and enjoy a day with some of the country's best musical talent which includes Johnny Clegg, Freshlyground, Lira, Arno Carstens and Malaika. Gates open at 11am and bands start at noon. For more info, call 0860445599.

Musician Bryan Adams will be in South Africa in July. Fans can catch him in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Adams will play crowd-pleasing hits from his career. The Canadian-born Grammy-winning singer has had 21 top 10 hits and has received nominations for three Academy Awards and five Golden Globes. Catch familiar hits like Everything I do, 18 till I die and Please Forgive me. Adams kicks off his tour at the Grand Arena at GrandWest Casino in Cape Town on July 12. He then heads to the ICC in Durban on July 16 and ends at the Coca-Cola Dome, Johannesburg, on July 18. Tickets range from R221 to R374. Booking is through Computicket.

Music lovers will enjoy The Big Five in Pretoria. Don't be mistaken, this is not about wildlife but about celebrating the music of five great pop icons. It is a tribute to Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, Elton John and Madonna. There will be a number of their hits from the last six decades showing how these artists dominated the charts. The show runs from June 30 until August 29 in the Barnyard Theatre in Menlyn.

For local comedy at its best, check out Bafunny Bafunny around the country. The star-studded comedy team will feature eight of the funniest stand-up comedians from the country with their special zany comedy. The show will make history as the first South African comedy production to be staged at the Royal Albert Hall in London on May 20. Comedians include Mark Banks, Barry Hilton, Trevor Noah, Nik Rabinowitz, Loyiso Gola, Mark Lottering, Kagiso Ladiga and John Vlismas. The show kicks off at the Grand Arena at GrandWest in Cape Town on May 28 and 29 at 8pm. It then moves to Durban on June 2 at the ICC before heading to Johannesburg from June 3 to 5 at the Big Top Arena at Carnival City. To book, call Computicket on 0839158000. Tickets are from R120 to R200. The show has an age restriction of 16. For more info, visit www.bafunnybafunny.com.

For the first time ever, the FIFA World Cup trophy makes a stop in Canada. Canadian dignitaries, athletes and dozens of fans welcomed the FIFA World Cup Trophy in Toronto on Wednesday.

Canadian artist K'NAAN, the artist behind the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem escorted the trophy off the plane. Holding the revered trophy is reserved only for heads of state and members of the FIFA World Cup winning teams.

The trophy is on an 138,902 km trip around the world, before it settles in South Africa in June for the start of the World Cup. It will be awarded to the winning nation at each tournament that occurs every four years.

The trophy stands around 36 centimetres high, weighs more than 13 pounds and is made of solid 18-karat gold. {#}

The second leg of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola kicked off today in Calcutta, which lived up to its nickname in India as 'the City of Joy'.

The star attraction, aside from the Trophy itself, was Germany legend and FIFA World Cup-winning captain Lothar Matthaus, who led the unveiling at the Trophy’s first-ever visit to India. Matthaus said: “It is a great pleasure to travel to India with the FIFA World Cup Trophy and I would like to share my personal experience with young footballers and to motivate them to play football.”

Among the hopefuls who may well be inspired by Matthaus were 16 of India’s most promising young footballers who, having attended the Trophy’s unveiling, will now join up with the Coca-Cola International Football Camp in South Africa during the FIFA World Cup later this year.

Atul Signh, President and CEO of Coca-Cola India, said that Calcutta was the perfect choice for the event. “Calcutta is chosen to be the first stop in Asia because it is a football crazy city,” he said. “Coca-Cola is proud to share the passion that fans have with football around the world.”

Kanti Ganguly, the West Bengal Government’s Minister of Sports, also revealed that the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will enable 80,000 local people to see the Trophy and gain a great knowledge and appreciation of football. Furthermore, media coverage should bring news and footage of the visit to millions.

The Trophy’s three-day Indian sojourn is also to be marked by a mass fan celebration and experience in Calcutta’s Salt Lake Stadium, including a 3D film showcasing experience, souvenir photo-taking with the Trophy, interactive displays and other entertainment .

The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola will travel 83 countries in 225 days, covering 138,902 kilometers, before concluding in South Africa ahead of the eagerly-anticipated 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Benzinga Staff

To date, nearly 200,000 fans across the African continent have attended the Trophy Tour events and been given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have their photo taken with the authentic FIFA World Cup™ Trophy. Joining the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour celebrations, 37 heads of state have greeted the Trophy’s arrival in their country, including Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, President of Namibia, John Agyekum Kurfour, President of Ghana and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia.

Somali hip-hop artist K’NAAN will be performing his hit ‘Wavin Flag – Coca-Cola Celebration Mix’ at select FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour events giving fans an exclusive live preview of the song which is the anthem of Coca-Cola’s 2010 FIFA World Cup™ program. The African-inspired track will be widely used as the music element throughout Coca-Cola’s FIFA World Cup™ marketing campaign.

The tour, which began its journey from the FIFA Headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, September 21, 2009, will visit 83 countries travelling in total 138,902 kilometers (86,304 miles) or more than three times the circumference of Earth. The Trophy Tour was developed through an exclusive partnership between FIFA and Coca-Cola, a FIFA Partner and one of the organization’s longest-standing corporate partners.

“The response to the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola in Africa has been incredible, we have been greeted by thousands of passionate fans who have welcomed us to their countries and expressed their excitement and celebrations at our events,” said Emmanuel Seuge, group director, worldwide sports and entertainment marketing, The Coca-Cola Company.

During the Trophy Tour, fans are given the chance to enjoy a rare close-up view of the authentic FIFA World Cup™ Trophy. Free tickets to the 2009/10 Trophy Tour are available to consumers via Coca-Cola promotions in countries on the route. At events in each city, fans will have the opportunity to have a souvenir photo taken of themselves with the trophy, view a special 3-D movie showcasing memorable moments of the FIFA World Cup™, participate in interactive displays and enjoy other entertainment.

“Teaming up with Coca-Cola has allowed us to embark on the most ambitious tour of the FIFA World Cup™ to date and we have been delighted by the number of people who have greeted its arrival and displayed their rich culture and passionate support,” said Jérôme Valcke, FIFA Secretary General. “We look forward to taking the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy to even more fans in 2010.”

Football fans wanting to experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola can follow each stage of its epic journey in 2010 by downloading The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour widget. Feeding the latest news and images from the global tour the widget is available to download on the official FIFA website www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/trophytour.

The 2009/10 FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour draws on the huge success of the first global Trophy Tour held in 2006. In 2006, the tour visited 31 cities in 29 countries, covering 102,570 kilometers (63,734 miles) with millions of fans around the world enjoying the chance to have a closer look at football’s most famous prize.

The authentic, FIFA World Cup™ is awarded to the winning nation at each tournament. The iconic trophy measures 36.8 centimetres (14.5 inches) high, weighs in at 6,175 grams (13.61 pounds) and is made of solid, 18-carat gold. The winners retain it until the next tournament and are awarded a replica that is gold-plated, rather than solid gold. The base contains two layers of semi-precious malachite, while the bottom side of the Trophy bears the engraved year and name of each FIFA World Cup winner since 1974.

The Coca-Cola Company has had a formal association with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) since 1974 and an official sponsorship of FIFA World Cup™ that began in 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup™ since 1950 and is a long-time supporter of football at all levels, from grassroots to the FIFA World Cup™.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.