Bipin Dani
Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj’s decision to dedicate his Player of the Match award in the Asia Cup final has won the hearts of many.
“I want to give this cash prize (USD 5000) to the groundsmen. They deserve it. If they were not around, this tournament would not have been successful”, the 29-year-old Siraj had announced at the presentation on Sunday.
“We are more happy with his act of donating rather than his match performance”, Mohammed Mahboob Ahmed, the secretary of the Charminar Cricket Club says.
Siraj first started playing with the tennis ball but learned playing with the leather ball at this club.
“Siraj has come from a very poor family back-ground. His father was an auto driver in Hyderabad. Siraj knows how poor people struggle to survive and therefore he has decided to give his prize money to the laborers in Sri Lanka”.
Siraj ran the Sri Lankan players ragged in the final. He produced a devastating spell of swing and seam bowling returning figures of 6 for 21 in seven overs as Sri Lanka were skittled out for 50. He became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets in an over in men’s internationals.
“We are very happy with his performance but more so because he cared for the poor groundsmen”, Mehboob added.
Siraj has stayed very humble.
After having bagged a big IPL deal, Mohammed Siraj still remembers the hardships his parents had to endure in his childhood. When he was bought at the IPL auctions, Siraj had then vowed that the first thing he would do with the money would be to buy a new house for his family. And he has fulfilled his promise.
“In his childhood, Siraj used to get a lot of bashing from his mother because he didn’t like studying. He was not good at studies. His brother, Ismail, on the other hand, excelled at academics in IT. However, today Siraj’s mother must be proud of whatever his son has achieved so far”.
“Sadly, Siraj’s father (Mohammed Ghaus) is not alive to see his journey. He passed away in 2020 when Siraj was in Australia in 2020 and he could not attend the funeral because of the Covid restrictions. He, however, has become stronger now and is bound to get more and more success”, Mehboob added.
(A photo where Siraj got the Player of the match award and the ground staff displaying prize money (given by the Asian Cricket Council) is attached).
