Cricketers reach out to Kerala flood victims
T10 cricket league teams led by Kerala Kings give more than Dh2m to chief minister’s relief fund
Kerala Kings, a cricket team named after the southern Indian state of Kerala, has donated Dh2 million and clothes to help rebuild the state that was devastated by unprecedented floods and landslides.
Kerala Kings are the defending champion of the T10 League, which is the shortest format in the history of world cricket.
Dr Shafi Ul Mulk, the coowner of the Kerala Kings team and chairman of Mulk Healthcare Enterprise, felt that since his team represents this state, his team should be in the forefront to help the state.
Apart from Mulk, the other franchise team-owners in the T10 tournament have together donated Dh250,000 to the Kerala chief minister’s relief fund.
Speaking to Gulf News on what prompted him to support Kerala, he said: “Our team is named after Kerala and I felt when that state needs backing to come out of a disaster we felt we need to back them. Initially, we contributed cash and later we got dresses stitched for women and children. We feel happy to be part of a noble cause.”
Kerala Kings team, captained by England’s One Day International team captain Eoin Morgan had emerged as the champions of the first edition of the T10 League at Sharjah Cricket Stadium last year.
“Soon after the victory, we flew to Kerala with the trophy and met the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at his office. He was delighted that a team named after Kerala has become the champions and wished us all the best. So at a time when Kerala is going through a tough phase we felt that we should step in too.”
Mulk also encouraged the cricket fraternity to help Kerala. “It is the moral duty of the community members irrespective of region and financial status to stand united and contribute in a humble way to help Kerala overcome this tragedy,” said Mulk, who is thankful to the international cricketers in his team like Morgan, Kevin Pollard, Sohail Tanvir and Paul Sterling in supporting his decision.
Mulk is hoping to win the trophy again in the second edition of T10 starting November 28 and dedicate the victory to Kerala floodlit relief initiative.
“For this year’s Kerala Kings team we have picked the legendary cricket star Chris Gayle in the squad and we want to win and bring happiness to Kerala during this tough phase,” he said.