Government offers Sri Lanka almost $1m to win World Cup

Sri Lanka's government Thursday announced a million dollar bonus to the national cricket team if they win this month's cricket World Cup being played in New Zealand and Australia.[caption id="attachment_2081807" align="alignleft" width="380"] File picture of Sri Lanka cricketers. Getty[/caption]"We have decided to offer this money to be shared among the team as an incentive for them to bring the World Cup," government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters.Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996 under the leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga who has since entered politics and is the current minister of ports, shipping and aviation.Members of the 1996 squad were rewarded with duty free cars, free houses and land in addition to huge cash awards that poured in from private companies.Sri Lanka lost two World Cup finals in 2007 and 2011.AFP