Gesture of gratitude from World Cup champs
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Picture shows A.C.M Lafir and Daya Sahabandu receiving the donations from Pramodya Wickremasinghe and Graeme Labrooy.
The 1996 World Cup Champion Team, who brought glory to the nation, donated four million rupees to launch the Past Cricketers Benevolent Fund (PCBF) and the fund continues to benefit cricketers who over the years have contributed to Sri Lanka’s cricket.
Recently two past cricketers, A.C.M Lafir and Daya Sahabandu, received cash donations for medical cover as a gesture of gratitude for their contribution to the game. Another significant recognition and donation was also bestowed on S.A. Siripala, the ground boy and subsequently room assistant who worked at SLC and has dedicated his life to cricket.
The 1996 Cricket World Cup Champions, in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Cricketers Association (SLCA) organised a series of events in Sri Lanka and Australia to raise funds for this project and the first beneficiaries of the Past Cricketers Benevolent Fund were renowned cricketers A.J Samarasekera and Russell Hamer.