Pune-based cricket museum buys bat auctioned by Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali to raise COVID-19 relief funds

Karachi: A cricket museum based in India has bought a bat auctioned by Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali to raise funds for the needy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Azhar had put two of his precious belongings — the bat he used to score 302 runs against the West Indies in a Test in 2016 and the jersey he wore during the 2017 Champions Trophy final win over India — on an online auction to raise funds for the people affected by the deadly disease. [caption id=“attachment_3175652” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Pakistan’s Azhar Ali. Getty Images[/caption] Both the bat and jersey were signed by members of the Pakistan team. Azhar announced on social media that he had kept a base price of one million each for the bat and jersey and they had sold for 2.2 million. He confirmed that Blades of Glory Cricket Museum based in Pune bought the bat by making a winning offer of Rs. 1 million for the bat. Azhar said that the auction of the shirt also generated a lot of interest and Kash Villani, a Pakistani based in California, came up with the highest bid of Rs. 1.1 million for the shirt before the conclusion of the auction. Another Pakistani based in New Jersey, Jamal Khan also donated Rs. 100,000 for the cause. “I put two of my closest belongings on auction with base price of 1 million PKR each to support people suffering due to ongoing crisis. Auction starts now and will close on 11:59 PM 05 May, 2020,” Azhar had tweeted. Ali became the first international player to score a test triple century in Day/Night Test when he scored an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies team in UAE in 2016. “The shirt is from 2017 Champions Trophy which we won, it has the signature of all the players which were present in the squad,” Ali said in a video posted on Twitter. “Both these things are close to my heart but if it can be used in the difficult times for the benefit of the people I will more than happy.