Mumbai, Sept 26: Team India’s remarkable victory over the traditional arch-rivals Pakistan in the finals of Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in South Africa has brought cheers on the faces of millions of cricket lovers in India and across the globe and now its raining cash on Indian cricketers apart from plaudits and adulations.
To honour the men-in-blue, who ended a 24-year wait by bringing back home the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup crown, several state governments, political parties, the central government and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have announced incentives and monetary rewards for the Indian cricketers.
Praising the feat achieved by the skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men, the BCCI chief Sharad Pawar had declared an award of USD 3 million for the whole team. Besides, he has also announced a whopping Rs 1 crore for the dashing left-hander Yuvraj Singh, who enthralled the spectators by smashing six consecutives sixes in an over. The “prince of sixers” will also get an expensive Porsche 919 luxury car for becoming the first batsman to hit six sixes in the Twenty20 format of the game.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Prafful Patel has announced that the Team India would now be entitled for a free travel in the country’s flagship career Air India for five years. Six Indian cricketers, also the employees of Air India, would be promoted out-of-turn in recognition of their achievement.
Equaling Team India’s victory at Wanderers in South Africa with the 1983 victory of the Indian team led by cricket legend Kapil Dev, the minister said that master striker Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan, who bagged the Man of the Match award in the finals, would be among those who would be promoted shortly.
Patel said that Dhoni and his boys have brought laurels and joy to millions of passionate fans by upsetting Pakistan and thus deserve all the recognition and rewards, which would motivate them to keep the team’s spirit high in future events.
Political parties such as the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) has declared 1.16 lakhs each for skipper Dhoni, Pathan and Gautam Gambhir.
The state governments are not lagging far behind, as Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh each for Mumbai-based Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma for their contribution in Team India’s success.
The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 11 lakh each to brothers Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan who were part of squad that won the Twenty20 World Cup. However, CM Narendra Modi`s government seemed to be in no hurry to loosen its pocket and announced an amount of Rs 5 lakh each for Pathan brothers only after BCA’s reward announcement.
The government has also decided to set up a fund for sportspersons and cash award would be given to those from Gujarat .Who excels at international level?
The Uttar Pradesh government of Chief Minister Mayawati has decided to confer the first Manyavar Kanshiramji International Sports Award to pacer Rudra Pratap Singh, who played an important role in India`s title run. The prize also carries a cash award of Rs 10 lakh.
Medium pacer Joginder Sharma, who through his superb bowling in the last over brought victory for team India, would get a cash reward of Rs 21 lakh announced by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Kerala government today decided to award Rs three lakh to Robin Uthappa, member of the Indian Cricket Team that won the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said today.
Talking to reporters after a cabinet briefing, Achuthanandan broke this news. Rs Five Lakh had already been announced for S Sreesanth, who hails from Kerala.
Bureau Report
