Indians stars to clash in fund-raiser

India's cricket stars will be back in action in a day-night limited overs match on June 5 at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Motera. This time, though, they will be batting for a noble cause. The match, left-handers versus right-handers, is being staged to raise funds for the treatment of the 11-year-old daughter of Kedar Chavan, the veteran Ranji trophy cricketer, reports The Indian Express.

Chavan's daughter, Kaveri, has Hydrocephalus, a rare congenital deformity. Treatment for this rare condition, which affects approximately one in a million babies, is available in India, but Germany is believed to have the best post-operative rehabilitation procedure. The costs for this are expected to be around Rs 2,000,000.

Chavan, who played 50 first class matches between 1987 and 1997 scoring 3507 runs at an average of over 40, has been trying to organise this benefit match for the last five years. "I am grateful to all the players who have volunteered to play for this noble cause," he said.

Jayawant Lele, the former BCCI secretary, has backed Chavan in this endeavour. "He has contributed immensely to Vadodara cricket in his 16 years of domestic cricket," said Lele. "It is good that the cricket fraternity has come forward to help him."

Sourav Ganguly is likely to lead the left-handers' team while Rahul Dravid will lead the right-handers. Sachin Tendulkar, who is away in Europe at the moment, has not yet confirmed his participation.