The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has devised a special method to thank the game’s unsung heroes—the groundskeepers—as the legendary Wankhede Stadium commemorates its golden jubilee.
The 178 active groundskeepers have received a token of appreciation from the MCA for their dedication. In lieu of cash incentives, the organisation prepared a Jumbo household hamper that was customised to meet the daily requirements of these low-level employees. Five kilogrammes of rice, dal, and wheat were among the necessities in the hamper. medical and hydration supplies, as well as a mixer grinder.
belt pouch, small kit bag and backpack. The kettle and tea packets. Towels and napkins. Notepads and pen. pillows and a bed sheet. T-shirts, track trousers, shorts, socks, flip-flops, shoes, hats, caps, sunglasses and coats. A toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, comb, blanket, umbrella, raincoat, utensils, sunscreen and even bottles for sipping.
We had the option to give them money, but we always do that. For festivals and even when we have games, we give them cash bonuses. In order to make their day special, we wanted to do something new this time. We made the decision to give them everything that people utilise on a daily basis. It’s merely a list of fundamentals. They are the lifeblood of every pitch and stadium, yet their contribution is frequently overlooked’, he stated, as reported by The Indian Express.
Members of the inaugural Mumbai Ranji Trophy winning squad, who competed at Wankhede Stadium in 1974, were also honoured by MCA.
Five members of the winning team, Karsan Ghavri, Padmakar Shivalkar, Ajit Pai, Milind Rege, and Abdul Ismail, were given INR 10 lakh apiece for attending the event.
With its golden jubilee celebrations, the MCA hopes to honour everyone who has influenced cricket in Mumbai. The festivities are expected to last the entire week, culminating in a lavish event on January 19. Legendary cricket players Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, and Diana Edulji are anticipated to be present. A coffee table book documenting the stadium’s history was also unveiled, along with a tribute postal stamp.
After a disagreement with the Brabourne Stadium’s management over ticket distribution, Wankhede Stadium was constructed in 1974. Since then, it has developed into a legendary location that has played host to many memorable games and saw India win the 2011 ODI World Cup.
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