Cricket Australia donates USD 50,000 to UNICEF's India COVID-19 Crisis Appeal

Cricket Australia on Monday announced an initial donation of USD 50,000 towards the Covid-19 crisis appeal set up by the United Nations International Children's Education Fund (UNICEF) for India.

The money (Rs 37 lakhs, approximately) donated by the Australian cricket board will be used to procure oxygen for seriously ill patients, providing testing equipments in affected regions as well as supporting the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.

CA, along with the Australian Cricketers' Association, is also partnering with UNICEF Australia to collect funds for the COVID-19 Crisis Appeal.

“Australians and Indians share a special bond and, for many, our mutual love



of cricket is central to that friendship. We were all deeply moved by the sentiments expressed and donations given by Pat Cummins and Brett Lee over the past week.

"In that same spirit, we are proud to partner with UNICEF Australia to raise funds that will help the people of India by providing the health system with much-needed oxygen, testing equipment and vaccines," CA’s interim chief executive Nick Hockley said.

It was Aussie quick Pat Cummins who was the first cricketer to make a sizeable donation of $50,000 towards the PM Cares Fund to help India fight the super-contagious second wave of coronavirus which has brought the country's already-weak healthcare system to its knees.