India and Pakistan get ready to 'Catch the Spirit'
Fans can donate on-line Charity auction of signed shirts, signed ‘Catch the Spirit’ flag and coin used for toss ICC President David Morgan: “This match can be a great example of how cricket can be a wonderful force for good”
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The game has been designated as the ‘Catch the Spirit’ match in memory of those who were killed or injured during the attack on the Sri Lanka squad and match officials on 3 March.
It is a sell-out and is the final warm-up match for both sides before the ICC World Twenty20 2009 begins when host England plays the Netherlands at Lord’s on Friday.
Commenting on the ‘Catch the Spirit’ initiative, ICC President David Morgan said: “We are extremely grateful for the way the India and Pakistan teams are entering into the spirit of what we are seeking to achieve here.
“Cricket is dear to the hearts of many, many millions of people within those two countries and by using Wednesday’s match to raise funds for the families of those killed or injured in that terrible incident in March, as well as other community-based projects in the subcontinent, we will show how cricket can be a wonderful force for good.
“We would like to reiterate our thanks to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the hosts, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Surrey County Cricket Club, for allowing the match to take place under this banner.
“And we are also grateful to ESPN STAR Sports, the ICC’s global broadcast partner, which is covering the match, for providing an excellent vehicle for the fund-raising efforts.”
Commenting on the initiative, BCCI President and ICC director Shashank Manohar said: “Cricket has a special power to bring people together. It is in keeping with the spirit of cricket that the BCCI will be supporting this cause.”
PCB Chairman and ICC director Ijaz Butt said: “The attack in Lahore was a terrible shock and we have immense sympathy for all those who were affected by the incident.
“The PCB provided support to the families of the victims immediately after the attack and it is encouraging to see the rest of the cricket world coming together in this way.”
The decision to designate the India – Pakistan encounter as a ‘Catch the Spirit’ match followed a recommendation by the ICC Board at its most recent meeting, in Dubai in April.
The Board wished to do something to assist the families of the victims of the terror attacks and it was felt that using this high-profile match with a sell-out crowd as a vehicle to do that made excellent sense.
‘Catch the Spirit’ is one of the themes of the ICC Centenary year. It highlights the respect within which the game is played around the world.
In celebration of the spirit and diversity of cricket, ‘Catch the Spirit’ activities are being hosted across the world in 2009, bringing together cricketers across continents, countries and communities.
The ICC has joined with ‘Peace and Sport’ and ‘Cricket for Change’, organisations which will provide guidance and expertise in the delivery of the community-based projects in the Asian subcontinent.
Details of these organisations can be found at www.peace-sport.org and www.cricketforchange.org.uk.
* Bank transfers can be made to the following account:
Bank name and address: Standard Chartered Bank, P O Box No 999, Dubai, UAE
Account Name: International Cricket Council FZ LLC – Charity Account
Account Number: 02-3688666-01 – USD
SWIFT code: SCBLAEADXXX
The ICC World Twenty20 2009 involves 12 of the top men’s teams and the top eight women’s line-ups playing at four venues – Lord’s, The Oval, Trent Bridge and Taunton – in the pinnacle of international cricketing action.
The defending men’s champion is India, which beat Pakistan in the final of the inaugural event, in South Africa in 2007. This is the first staging of the women’s tournament.
A limited number of tickets are still available for the ICC World Twenty20 2009. Further details can be found at:https://eticketing.co.uk/iccwt20
