The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Tsunami fund-raiser series gets underway

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 02, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Tsunami fund-raiser series gets underway

S. Dinakar

ABU DHABI: The people here were more familiar with Shamal, the fierce sandstorm that often sweeps across the flat, dusty and unrelenting terrain, than giant killer waves. The tsunami has changed all that.

It was cricket for a worthy cause when a make-shift Indian side and a much stronger Sri Lankan outfit met to kick-off the Zayed Cup triangular competition on Sunday to raise funds for the victims of tsunami; a strong Pakistan team is also in the fray.

Hosting the unofficial competition is Sheikh Zayed Stadium, 30km from Abu Dhabi, a nugget in the heart of a desert. And this is also a beginning for the ultra-modern venue.

The Abu Dhabi Cricket Control Board, with support from Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak Al Nahayan, is hopeful of an official India-Pakistan official ODI here someday in a 100-million Dirham stadium that is a blend of the old and the new.

B.R. Shetty, managing director and president, ADCCB, pointed to board vice-president Wajahat Hussain, and said, "He is a Pakistani and I am an Indian and we live here like brothers. The Indian and the Pakistani fans will watch the match like brothers here. It is our big dream."

He said the tournament had the approval of the ICC and showed to the media, the letter wishing the competition the best of luck from Sunil Dutt, Indian Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs.

Coming to the match, Sri Lanka, which opted to bat, was bowled out for 252.

Shantha Kalawitagoda top-scored with 69 off 96 balls, while Kumara Sangakkara struck a 52-ball 52. On a good batting pitch, pacemen Amit Bhandari and Harvinder Singh claimed three wickets each, while leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule (two for 38 off 10 overs) was tidy.

The scores: Sri Lanka 252 in 49.3 overs (S. Kalawitagoda 69, K. Sangakkara 52, Tillekeratne Dilshan 43) vs India.

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