The team, which will include five development players, will face Paralympic champions, Australia along with the United States and Germany next month.

 

British coach Murray Treseder says he is looking forward to the first international challenge since Beijing.

 

He said: “2009 is a development year for us, we’ve made five changes to our Paralympic team which is keeping with our philosophy that we will play around 22 athletes internationally, to give them experience as we move towards 2012.

 

“The five guys we’ve brought on board for the BT Paralympic World Cup are players we feel deserve a chance to experience the international game and playing three of the five top teams in the world is such a wonderful opportunity for them.

 

"It’s fairly unique that we get to play games in Britain each year which is very important in front of an expectant home crowd.

 

"With the 2010 World Championships in Britain and then London 2012, the BT Paralympic World Cup is more and more important.”

  

The British team progressed well through last year’s event winning all their pool matches, but lost by just two points to the US in their final game, resulting in the silver medal.

 

In Beijing the GB team had the opportunity to turn the result around and beat the US to the bronze medal position.

 

Meeting again in Manchester this May, both teams will be out to make their mark in what is sure to be another thrilling game.

 

Ademola Orogbemi, who will captain the team, is excited about competing internationally again.

 

He said: “It feels great to get the captaincy for this year’s BT Paralympic World Cup, I’m proud and honoured to lead the team out for a whole international tournament.

 

"Winning the Paralympic bronze medal was brilliant, we’d been working very hard in the lead up to Beijing and it’s great to see everything you’ve worked for come together.

 

"Our aim was to finish top four in the world and we did one better so it was a great bonus for us.

 

“We’d love to beat the Americans again next month.

 

"Last year we beat them in the pools, then lost in the final, then beat them to the podium in Beijing, so I’m sure they’ll be looking for the win and we will certainly be ready.”

 

The BT Paralympic World Cup is the first major multi-sport elite disability event to be staged since the Beijing Paralympic Games and major international stars and a strong British contingent are expected.

 

The competition will be staged in Manchester from May 20-25, with over 400 competitors from over 31 countries scheduled to compete.

 

Athletes will compete in four sports at world class competition venues in Manchester: wheelchair basketball and athletics hosted at the Manchester Regional Arena, swimming at the Manchester Aquatics Centre and track cycling at the Manchester Velodrome.

 

Tickets for the BT Paralympic World Cup are now on sale and can be purchased via the event websiteat www.btparalympicworldcup.com or the ParalympicsGB websiteat www.paralympics.org.uk or by calling 0844 8471622.

 

Tickets cost £3 per session.