Mumbai: The Indian World Cup team, including skipper Saurav Ganguly, master batsman Sachin Tendulkar and vice captain Rahul Dravid, took time off on Tuesday to support a noble cause "Bowl Out Polio in India" campaign, to be launched on February 9. Ganguly told reporters that the Indian cricketers would unite to eradicate the dreaded disease, which afflicts children. "It is a bit like that one crucial catch in the slog overs that could turn the match in our favour". "So just as we are ready to pounce on the sharp chance in the slips, at point or at silly mid-on, you must keep your eyes peeled for the closest polio booth on February 9 he very day the World Cup in South Africa kicks-off," Ganguly added. Leg spinner and vice-president of the Indian Cricket Players Association (ICPA), Anil Kumble, said that the ICPA would whole-heartedly support social causes specially involving children. "We think the involvement of the whole team can help the cause better than an individual player can do and we are all hoping that we can do our bit to eradicate polio completely," he added. Tendulkar, who presented cricket bats along with Ganguly to J V R Prasad Rao, secretary to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and to UNICEF representative Maria Calivis, said in a statement "let's blast it (polio) out of the ground". "Some of you may know that my wife is a doctor. She makes sure that our kids have received all immunisations that are adviced, including polio," he added. Extras:
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Tags: cricket, saurav ganguly, sachin tendulkar, rahul dravid, bowl out polio in india, indian cricket players association (icpa), anil kumble, j v r prasad rao, ministry of health and family welfare, unice.