KUALA LUMPUR, 19 August 2013 – Yayasan Sime Darby is proud to announce an RM540,000 commitment as the Sports Partner of the Kuala Lumpur Cricket Association (KLCA) over three years from 2013 to 2015.

The support given by YSD earned the foundation KLCA’s title sponsor for its recently held 7th Yayasan Sime Darby International Youth Cricket Carnival recently.

The event was participated by 16 teams from Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Singapore.

YSD’s commitment also goes towards funding KLCA’s Junior Development Programme, which trains about 200 students from five schools in Kuala Lumpur under the mentorship of four professional coaches at the Royal Selangor Club.

 “KLCA has done well to promote cricket at the grassroots level. Through YSD’s sponsorship, sports associations such as KLCA are able to create more opportunities for local cricket teams to gain experience and exposure through tournaments such as this,” said YSD Chief Executive Officer Puan Hajjah Yatela Zainal Abidin.

“We are also supportive of KLCA’s vision nurturing talent in young cricketeers and the efforts are paying off - Malaysia is currently ranked 29 in the world cricket rankings.”

She commended KLCA’s efforts to organise an annual world-class event bringing some of the world’s best junior cricket teams together to play on Malaysian soil as part of its mission to promote and help develop sports, cultivate sportsmanship and ultimately raise the standard of sports in this country.

The sponsorship is in line with its aspiration to ensure that Malaysian cricket players receive the best training offered, while creating opportunities for them to play in other countries against foreign cricket players through the Junior Teams Development Tours.

YSD has supported KLCA since 2009 with a total commitment of RM260,000 over the past four years.

Cricket is one of 10 sports supported by the foundation.

The 7th Yayasan Sime Darby International Youth Cricket Carnival, organised by the Kuala Lumpur Cricket Association and Royal Selangor Club, has established itself as the region's premier Under-17 limited-overs tournament after winning the International Cricket Council's award for Best Junior Initiative in the Asian Region in 2010 and Best Junior Development Programme in Asia.

The event was held over three days at four venues - Kinrara Oval, Club Aman, Bayuemas Oval and RSC in Bukit Kiara. Last year, the Malaysian Malays team under the YSD-sponsored Malay Cricket Association of Malaysia (MCAM) emerged champions at the 6th KAF International Youth Cricket Carnival 2012.