KKR named Ankit Keshri as 16th member for match against Rajasthan Royals

Karun Nair and Robin Uthappa talk in front of an Ankit Keshri portrait

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders included recently deceased cricketer Ankit Keshri as the 16th member of their team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. The match was later abandoned as a result of rain.

The Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise also donated Rs. 10 lakh to Keshri’s family.

#KKR have honoured CAB's request to include Ankit as the 16th member in their squad against #RR #RIPAnkitKeshri pic.twitter.com/vKf90lNuFn

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 26, 2015

Venky Mysore, CEO and MD of Kolkata Knight Riders, said: “We're too happy to do so and it's an opportunity for KKR in a small way to remember Ankit and the premature end he faced.”

The 20-year-old passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest on April 20 after he had collided with teammate Sourabh Mondal at the Jadavpur University Campus ground two days earlier. He was representing East Bengal against Bhawanipore in a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Division 1 knockout match. He actually wasn’t part of the playing XI for his team and had come in as a replacement fielder.

Keshri was part of India’s probables listed for the 2014 U-19 World Cup and had captained the Bengal U-19 team previously. His death shocked the cricket fraternity in India and a minute’s silence was observed in IPL matches last week.

Earlier, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly had donated his share of pension from the BCCI to Keshri’s family.