Sadio Mane paid hospital bill for injured boy during Afcon
WHEN 47 Australian cricketers go up for sale at this weekend's Indian Premier League (IPL) 'mega-auction', the name Mitchell Starc will again be conspicuously absent.
For the fourth year in a row, Starc has turned down the chance of a multi-million-dollar contract at the world's richest cricket tournament, choosing instead to spend time with family in Sydney and keep his body fresh for Australia's commitments later in the year.
Starc, who featured in Australia's opening T20 against Sri Lanka at the SCG on Friday, is a wellpaid international cricketer, but it's estimated his decision to shun the IPL has likely been a sacrifice of at least US$10 million in potential earnings since he last played in the tournament back in 2015.
In the past two auctions alone, he has watched teammates Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson be purchased for a combined fee of US$3.9m, underlining how valuable the left-armer would be on the open market.
"I was a click of the button away from entering the auction but personally didn't want to spend 22 more weeks in a bubble," he said of this weekend's two-day auction, which ends today.
"There will be a time where I'd love to go back to the IPL but in terms of wanting to play as much as I can for Australia, that's a decision I've done for a while."
Having been picked up in the 2014 auction for US$632 000 by Royal Challengers Bangalore, the left-armer played two seasons for RCB before missing the 2016 tournament due to injury.
He chose to not enter the 2017 auction, which saw English leftarmer Tymal Mills purchased for an eye-watering fee of US$1.42 million (Starc ultimately would have missed the tournament anyway due to injury).
Having been bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for $1.2m in 2018, Starc again missed out due injury, which sparked a protracted legal battle with an insurance firm that was finally settled in 2020.
He joined most of Australia's players in skipping the 2019 tournament ahead of that year's World Cup, with Indian left-arm quick Jaydev Unadkat the most expensive fast bowler purchased at that year's auction, going for A$1.2m.
In 2020, Starc again chose to not participate despite attracting interest from several franchises. It sparked a fierce bidding war for his fast-bowling countryman Cummins, who was purchased for a record fee of US$2.25 million.
But his IPL absence last year did result in a win of a different kind; having skipped the tournament and subsequently taken part in Australia's winter tour of the Caribbean and Bangladesh, Starc played enough games and accrued enough votes to be crowned the Allan Border Medallist last month.
His status as a committed and prolific bowler for his country is undisputed. Since he last played in the IPL in 2015, only South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada has taken more wickets in international cricket than Starc.
And having lost his father to cancer last year and having barely seen his family since last June – including brother Brandon, who recently had a baby boy – the 32-year-old has understandably decided to put them first once again ahead of another busy year of international cricket.
– cricket.com
Liverpol forward Sadio Mane proved his class both on and off the pitch once again at the AFCON as Senegal were not only crowned champions, he also paid an entire hospital bill for a young boy with lifethreatening injuries.
The 29-year-old, who seemed to briefly lose consciousness following a collision with Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, recovered enough to score in the 2-0 win before being substituted soon after where he was taken to hospital.
As he was being treated for concussion in a Cameroon hospital, he paid the FCFA 400,000 for a family of a child with life-threatening injuries who couldn't afford the hospital bill.
'I think I told you about the generous gesture that Sadio Mané made in Bafoussam in favour of a family,' declared a guest on the set of a Cameroonian channel, Equinoxetv, after the coronation of Senegal.
'The latter was in distress because a motorcycle had hit their child who had broken bones and injuries all over his body; he was close to death and his parents could not afford to pay for treatment.
'Sadio, who was in this hospital (because he was being treated there after his shock against Cape Verde) finds this grieving family and asks them what is going on.
'We explain the situation to him and he gave them 400,000 FCFA which relieved this family.
'I believe that this blessing was rewarded today by GOD.'
Mane is known for his talent on the pitch and his work in his hometown Bambali where he has previously paid to help a school being built back in 2019.
The Premier League star also previously donated £41,000 to the FCFA, a health body fighting coronavirus in Senegal.
Therefore it appears he was not only the stand-out player on the pitch after being named the player of the tournament, but also away from it, with his generous actions.