Sunil Gavaskar, Madhusudan Sai unveil 2025 One World One Family Cup

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], February 2 (ANI): Indian cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar and humanitarian Madhusudan Sai unveiled the 2025 One World One Family Cup, a cricket event promoting unity and humanitarian causes, as per a release by One World One Family Cup.
The cup is engraved with the message - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - the World is one Family.
In honour of the two renowned cricket players, Sadguru Madhusudan Sai will be establishing a residential cricket academy for boys at the Sathya Sai Grama, Muddenahalli campus in Karnataka, India, the release said.
Their selection criteria will be entirely based on merit, and the deserving candidates will be provided free of cost training and stay.
Renowned retired international cricket players of India and Sri Lanka will be playing for the 'One World One Family Cup' at the Sai Krishnan Cricket Stadium, Muddenahalli in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka on February 8.
"Madhusudan Sai, who has dedicated his life for the service of humanity is the dynamic founder of this mission. As a young humanitarian, he is spearheading from the front on multiple causes, primarily for the rural audience across the country.
"Madhusudan Sai Global Humanitarian Mission has created records with many firsts and has attracted the attention and presence of national and global leaders including the Prime Minister - Shri Narendra Modi and the President - Droupadi Murmu. The aim is to make education, health and nutrition easily accessible to rural India," the release stated.
"The mission has spread its presence to 80 countries in the last 12 years. It has provided for the needs of children, women, men and the elderly in the fields of Nutrition, Education, and Healthcare by establishing institutes of excellence, and commissioning programmes and high-quality services that are completely free of charge," it added.
In January 2024, when the first edition of the One World One Family Cup was played, the two sides were captained by cricketing greats - little master Sachin Tendulkar and all-rounder with teams comprising a mix of players from seven nations.
This year, in a different format, Indian and Sri Lankan retired greats are coming back to the field to play for the cause of humanity. Legends like Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Venkatesh Prasad from India, and Ajanta Mendis, Chaminda Vaas, Aravinda de Silva, Muttiah Muralitharan from Sri Lanka, among other players, are reuniting again to play for unity, solidarity, and shared responsibility.
Speaking about this unique cricket event, Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricketer said as quoted by the One World One Family Cup press release, "To put our best foot forward at every step of life, and to do what it takes, is the way to go. Then, we needed to bat for the country, and now it is time we bat for a greater cause, beyond the confines of just a country. The glory of a country lies not in its achievements, but also in its ideals. The 'One World One Family' mission of Madhusudan Sai stands for an ideal that is larger than life itself. The mission is working for the cause uplifting every child and citizen of this world, and bringing hope, happiness and love to their lives. The cricket match this year is yet another step to awaken humanity to the possibility of a glorious future for all."
Madhusudan Sai, the Founder, remarked as quoted by the release, "The buzz of cricket is translating into a cause for humanity through the One World One Family Cup 2025. This is a game that will be played by renowned cricketers from India and Sri Lanka, not for their countries, but for the whole of humanity. This time, the game of cricket will declare the message of unity, compassion and concern, collective responsibility and camaraderie, beyond the borders. It is time we blur the borders and merge into one sea of humanity, where each one's welfare matters to every other person." (ANI)