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MUMBAI: In its ongoing endeavour to cement ties and building bridges between countries, IIFA 2010 will host a special charity cricket event as part of the Videocon IIFA Weekend in Colombo, Sri Lanka to be held from 3 to 5 June.
The match to be held on day two of the Videocon IIFA Weekend is expected to draw large crowds, giving cricket and cinema fans to see the best of the two fraternities on one platform.
The ‘Cricket for Children‘ event will be played between India‘s top film stars and Sri Lankan cricketers. "The unique initiatives undertaken by IIFA 2010 will undoubtedly forge a stronger bond between India and the host country," observed Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.
Speaking on the occasion, filmstar Anil Kapoor said, "IIFA‘s journey over the last ten years has opened many doors for the Indian film Industry in the host country, be it in terms of the film shooting avenues or the assistance given to filmmakers and producers from Government and Tourism bodies.
"IIFA has also helped propel Indian Cinema, by virtue of the deals that have been struck with production houses and the screening of our films that would have never had the opportunity to be showcased there, prior to the IIFA event."
While the Sri Lankan cricket side would have Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumara Sangakkara and Jayawardena, among many others, the Indian contingent will have Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Suneil Shetty, Riteish Deshmukh and many more.
Highest wicket taker in both test cricket and one day internationals, Muttiah Muralitharan said, "Playing the greats of the Indian cricketing world has always been special to me. The IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match is indeed a unique opportunity to make friends with the greats of the Indian Cinema fraternity and see how they compare.I hope our countrymen will root for the cause, supporting the initiative of ‘Cricket for Children‘, in the spirit of the game."
