These actors are bowling for a good cause

Our television actors are good sports when it comes to doing their bit for society.

The Indian Television Academy (ITA) is organising a cricket match with a difference. Titled the Gr8 Welfare Cup, the match will have popular television actors donning cricketing gear to support Beti (which campaigns against female foeticide) and the television industry.

The match will be held on June 4 at Andheri Sports Complex and will have Varun Badola, Hiten Tejwani, Salil Ankola, Nikhil Chinnapa, Abhijeet Sawant among others.

The stars will be cheered by actresses Shweta Kawatra, Roopali Ganguly, Shama Sikander, Rajeshwari Sachdev, Karishma Tanna and Shradha Nigam.

Shashi Ranjan, a resident of Yari Road and the convenor of ITA, says, "The proceeds of this match will be also used for Beti, an organisation that campaigns against female foeticide.

The money will also be used for the welfare of members from the television industry. The match is supported by sate government's women and child development department."

Talking about the two teams that will play on D-day, Anu Ranjan, ITA president, says, "The two teams — actors XI and anchors XI, will be captained by Varun Badola and Salil Ankola, respectively. Tom Alter and Benjamin Gilani will be the umpires and Suresh Menon and Vinay Pathak will do the commentary."

Through the match, the ITA plans to spread awareness about female foeticide that is causing a gender imbalance in the society."

mayank.soni@mid-day.com