Sachin makes his return... for charity

LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar will make his much-awaited return to cricket through a series of charity matches in England beginning this week.

The master batsman, who has been sidelined since March when he underwent a shoulder surgery, will appear for English club Lashings and play his first game against Cambridge University Cricket Club at Fenners on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old, who holds the world record for most Test centuries, will follow it up with a game at Reigate CC on Sunday, June 25, before taking on Middleton CC in West Sussex the next weekend. Tendulkar will conclude his stint with Lashings with a match against Sutton Valence School in Kent on July 6.

“This is a great opportunity for me to get back into cricket, to get some batting practice, and to play matches that will help raise money for charity. I get the chance to play alongside international players, but not in games where every run counts,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by BBC Sports. The last international appearance for him was the third and final Test against England at Wankhede in March. He made himself unavailable for the one-day series against England and the entire tour of the West Indies and hopes to be fit for a triseries in Sri Lanka in August.