Arjuna to lead World XI against India in benefit match (17 Mar 1998)

Tuesday 17, March 1998

Arjuna to lead World XI against India in benefit match

Daily News

Arjuna Ranatunga will have the honour of leading a World XI against India in a benefit match for former Indian paceman Balwinder Singh in the last week of April in India.

Also invited to play in the World XI are Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya. De Silva and Jayasuriya have been top attractions in India and it should not be any different in this game.

Incidentally Balwinder Singh for whom this benefit game is being played was a member of the Indian World Cup winning team in England in 1983 under the highest wicket taker in Test cricket Kapil Dev.

Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin the Indian captain who is the chief organiser of this game in a telephone link up with Ranatunga in Johannesburg invited Ranatunga to lead the World XI which will include some of the top test playing cricketers.

Ranatunga convinced Azharuddin that it would be more beneficial and would result in a bigger purse for Singh if the Sri Lankans, the world champions played India. The Sri Lankans are a big draw wherever they play in India. Spectators there yearn to see the Caribbean style batting of De Silva and Jayasuriya.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)