What’s the story?
Having won the Man of the Match award in Friday's game against Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has declared that he will donate the prize money to the families of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) members who lost their lives during the Maoist attack in Sukma.
At the end of the game, Gambhir said, "We still have a long way to go. So far most of the boxes are ticked. But this is that type of tournament that we can't be complacent. The way bowlers got us back into the game, at one stage we thought that DD would get 180-190, it was unbelievable. It comes on better in the evening. It's about not losing too many wickets in the first three overs. You've got to have faith in your bowlers."
"We've never picked players with hope that they'll deliver, we've always had faith in them. There's always room for improvement. We can't put more effort in the field. Any run you save, the less you have to score. Whatever awards I've earned, all the money goes to CRPF jawans."
The Background
On April 24, 25 CRPF officers were killed by Maoists in Chattisgarh’s Sukma district. The incident sparked nation-wide outrage and Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the attack as ‘cowardly and deplorable’.
The heart of the matter
Yesterday, Gambhir announced that he will be taking care of the educational expenses of the children of the CRPF martyrs. Through his Gautam Gambhir Foundation, the 35-year-old revealed that his team had already started work on the same and the progress will be shared in the coming future.
During today’s game against Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens, the left-hander led from the front with a 52-ball 71 and helped the Knight Riders cruise to a seven-wicket victory. The efficient knock also enabled him to regain the Orange Cap. Deservedly named Player of the Match, he donated the accompanying money to families of the slain CRPF personnel.
What’s next?
The Gautam Gambhir Foundation’s support will go a long way in assisting the kin of the martyred CRPF members amidst difficult times. Considering the form the southpaw is in, it will not come across as a surprise if he continues to win a few more Player of the Match awards in the upcoming matches and proceeds to donate the prize money to the same cause.
Author’s Take
Apart from contributing a lot to the Indian team during his commendable career, Gambhir also continues to win hearts with his benevolent nature off the field. His gesture should inspire some of the other cricketers to come forward and help the families of the jawans who lost their lives while serving the country.
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