Melbourne 11 August : Australia’s male cricket team on Thursday announced they had donated the money they received from the recent all-format tournament of Sri Lanka to support families and children impacted by the nation’s economic crisis, the most severe in many years for the country. The team will be led by captain of the Test team Pat Cummins, who is an UNICEF Australia ambassador, and white-ball captain Aaron Finch.
The team will contribute 45,000 Australia dollars (25,36,294 lakhs in INR) to UNICEF’s Sri Lanka appeal.
The money donated by Australia cricketers of the men’s team will be used to fund UNICEF’s programs for health, nutrition and safe drinking water education as well as mental health services for 1.7 million vulnerable Sri Lankan children in need.
“It was evident to us how daily life for Sri Lankans are being affected.When we saw the situation, it was a simple choice to donate the prize funds to UNICEF who have been in Sri Lanka for more than 50 years helping the needs of families and children,” Cummins was quoted by cricket.com.au.
The trip of Sri Lanka in June-July 2021 was Australia’s very first trip to the nation’s island since.Australia was victorious in the T20I series 2-1, before Sri Lanka clinched the ODI series with a 3-2 victory.
The tour came to an end with the Test series of two matches in Galle in Galle at 1-1.
Since April this year Sri Lanka has been in an acute social and economic crisis due to constant power outages and rising fuel prices.There are also massive shortages of essential necessities such as food and medicine.In the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka, peaceful protests were held in the vicinity of Galle International Cricket Stadium and in the capital city Colombo along with long lines of people filling up fuel in vehicles.
In 2021, Cummins and Cricket Australia both contributed the sum of 50,000 Australian dollars (28,18,621 lakhs in INR) to help with oxygen supply during the Covid-19 crisis in India during which the second wave of the virus caused destruction in 2021, resulting in the suspension of the Indian Premier League (IPL) halfway through the season when the bio-bubbles were infected by the virus.
“Last year, Australian cricketers backed India in the midst of crisis during the height of the COVID-19 Delta wave.
We are grateful to them for once again donating generously to help the Sri Lankans affected by the present crisis.Australia has a close relationship with Sri Lanka that goes beyond the game days.This donation is thankfully received to assist in the long-term well-being of Sri Lanka’s families.” stated Tony Stuart, UNICEF Australia CEO.
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