England team pledge 50 pc match fee to Mumbai victims

In a heart-warming gesture, Kevin Pietersen and his teammates decided to donate 50 pc of their match fees from the first Test to the families of Mumbai attacks victims.

In a heart-warming gesture, Kevin Pietersen and his teammates on Tuesday decided to donate 50 per cent of their match fees from the first Test to the families of the victims of the recent Mumbai terror attacks.

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England batsman Alastair Cook read out a statement by the English cricket team in which the players pledged half of their match fees for the families of the victims of the Mumbai attacks.

"Following a very difficult period for the last two weeks, the England cricket team would like to recognise the following reasons for returning to India for the Test series.

"As an open and public statement of support for the Indian people following the tragic events in Mumbai recently.

"To extend our sincerest sympathies to those families that have lost loved ones in the Mumbai attacks.

"As cricketers, first and foremost to win a Test match series against India," the statement read.

"Finally, the England players will donate half their match fees from the first Test match to the families of those victims of the Mumbai attacks," it added.

Earlier, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had pledged match fees from both the Tests for a similar cause.