Cricketers are equally rich and famous. A few hundred and wickets on the pitch make a cricketer as popular as a billionaire. Although, cricketers, in particular, earn a huge buck throughout their careers. Most such cricketers believe that people's support is essential for success, and henceforth, they long to give it back to society. Many cricketers, former as well as present, believe in charity. They ensure that they do not fail to donate money to charities, support NGOs, provide funds for the poor and needy. So, Here is the list of Top 10 cricketers who donate for different causes.
1. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar, the cricket legend," The God of cricket," is also a prominent Charity supporter. His mother-in-law Annabel dedicated four decades of her life to the NGO named Apnalaya. After her contribution, Sachin took a step forwards and devoted his earnings to the NGO. Every year, 200 underprivileged children get sponsored by the Cricketer through Apnalaya. Sachin Tendulkar joined hands with Coca-Cola and NDTV's" Support my School" campaign in 2013 to raise Rs 13.6 crores. The money gets utilized for the Revitalization of 272 schools across India.
2. Patt Cummins
Patt Cummins is undoubtedly one of the best all-rounder cricketers in the Indian Premier League ( IPL) for the Kolkata Knight Riders. During the IPL sessions in 2020, the Cricketer has donated over 37 lakhs rupees ($50,000) to the PM Relief Fund to provide oxygen to the country. He contributed through UNICEF Australia's India Covid-19 Crisp Appeal.
3. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, the test captain and fantastic batsman of the Indian cricket team, is also charitable. The successful batsman did not fail to pay back the love and respect he received from society. However, the Cricketer is a part of the Smile Foundation and the founder of the Virat Kohli foundation. Also, he joined hands with RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, which is known for supporting sportspersons to attain a particular level of their sports. The Cricketer insists that his only aim is to join NGOs and provide the people with all the medications and care they require.
4. Brett Lee
After the admirable donation of Part Cummins, Brett Lee, a former Australian cricketer, thanked Cummins through his Twitter handle for taking the initiative. Following the footsteps of Cummins, Brett Lee also donated 1 Bitcoin (around 43 lacs rupees)to the Crypto Relief, which helped in acquiring the oxygen supplies for the Covid centers across India.
5. M.S Dhoni
MS Dhoni is considered one of the pivotal cricketers in the world. During the pandemic, MS Dhoni donated One Lakh Rupees to an NGO named Mukul Madhav, located in Pune. The funds get utilized to provide relief equipment for the daily wage workers in Pune. The NGO helped around a hundred families in Pune during the 21-day lockdown that the Prime Minister announced. Each relief kit consisted of oil, soap, pulses, biscuits, flour, rice, sugar, spices, and other essential food items for a living.
6. Ian Botham
Ian Botham is one of the considerable all-rounder cricketers in the 90's from England. His journey in the direction of Charity began when he had visited a hospital and saw children who barely had a few days to live. Ian started doing charity walks and aimed to raise £100,000. He also became the president of the UK's leading blood cancer charity association, Leukemia Research. His extensive efforts also made him a missionary, and he attained a knighthood in 2007 from Queen Elizabeth II.
7. Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh is one of the incredible batsmen. He was diagnosed with cancer. Gracefully, he fought the battle with cancer and realized the hardship one faces while battling the disease. Soon after the recovery, the Cricketer set up a foundation named "YouWeCan." The prime duty of the foundation is to create awareness about the disease and eliminate the social-psychological stigma attached to cancer. It also provides mobile cancer examination centers to make routine checkups.
8. Shahid Afridi
Inspired by the former Cricketer and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, Shahid Afridi established "The Shahid Afridi Foundation" (SAF) in March 2014 to deliver primary health care and education to the children of Pakistan. It has a maternity hospital in Tangi Banda, Kohat, and provides free medications, treatments, and respect.
9. Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath was one of the tremendous cricketers of the '90s and one of the leading supporters to heal cancer. The Cricketer's wife Jane fought through breast cancer when she was 31. Unfortunately, she died in 2008. They both decided to establish a foundation for women who have breast cancer. The Cricketer established the McGrath Foundation in 2002 and became an active participant after the death of his wife. With the support of 33,000 Australian families, it is one of Australia's leading breast cancer support organizations.
10. Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting is the most successful Cricketer who raised funds for foundations organized to beat cancer. Ricky Ponting is associated with Sydney's Children's Cancer Institute Australia ( CCIA). He visited the hospital and couldn't bear the sight of children suffering from dreadful diseases. So, he established the Ponting Foundation to provide better facilities and proper treatment for such children.
