The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : BCCI to donate Rs. 1 crore for tsunami victims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

BCCI to donate Rs. 1 crore for tsunami victims

NEW DELHI, DEC. 30. The Indian Cricket Board will donate Rs. one crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund in aid of the tsunami victims, President-elect Ranbir Singh Mahendra said here today.

Mahendra said the BCCI was exploring other avenues of generating funds for the thousands of tsunami-affected families.

On specifically asked if the Indian cricket team would play fund-raising matches including against Pakistan on their tour early next year, Mahendra said, ``we are exploring all avenues.''

According to reports, Pakistan has written a letter to the BCCI regarding organising a three-nation benefit match series, also involving Sri Lanka, to mobilise funds for the tsunami victims.

`No request yet from

New Zealand'

The Indian cricket board is yet to receive any request from its counterpart in New Zealand to fill the void left by the cancellation of the tour by the Sri Lankan cricket team following the tsunami devastation in the island nation.

``So far, we have not received any such request,'' BCCI president-elect Ranbir Singh Mahendra told pressmen in Kolkata on Thursday.

Asked whether it would be possible for India to accommodate such a request from New Zealand, Mahendra said ``It's a fact that we don't have much time as Pakistan is due to arrive here in February.''

However, once the request was received, the matter would be placed before the board's Working Committee for a discussion.

``The Working Committee has the authority to take a decision in such cases,'' he said. — PTI

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