India players to donate Ranchi ODI match fees to National Defence Fund: Virat Kohli

Team India cricketers came up with a special initiative of donning camouflage army caps in their third ODI against Australia in Ranchi on Friday. The caps were distributed by veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni among the players ahead of the game and they wore it as a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who were martyred in a suicide terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14. The move was appreciated from various quarters and former England captain Michael Vaughan also praised it.

Over 40 personnel were martyred when a terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus that was carrying them in a convoy that was travelling on Jammu-Srinagar highway. The tragedy led to a massive outrage throughout the country with even the cricketing fraternity condemning Pakistan as terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad which operates from its soil claimed responsibility for the attack. There were even demands for India to boycott their World Cup clash with Pakistan in the World Cup scheduled in Manchester on June 16.

Kedar Jadhav offered salute while receiving cap from Dhoni

The players were touched as Dhoni, a lieutenant colonel of the Indian Army, handed over the caps to them. Kedar Jadhav was even seen offering a salute to the senior cricketer while receiving the cap. Besides donning the cap, the Indian players also decided to donate their fees from the game to the National Defence Fund.

Speaking about the initiative at the toss, India captain Virat Kohli said it was a special cap to wear in the game and appealed to fans to also reach out to the families of the martyrs in whatever way possible.

“This is a special cap, it’s a tribute to the Armed forces. We’re all donating our match fees of this game to the Nation’s Defence Fund. I urge everyone in the country to do the same, donate and stick to the families of our armed forces. Special game for us,” he said.

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