Covid-19 pandemic: Du Plessis donates bat, ODI jersey to raise funds for vulnerable kids’ food

Johannesburg, July 18

South Africa’s star batsman Faf du Plessis has auctioned one of his bats and a pink ODI jersey to raise funds for feeding underprivileged children struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Du Plessis has donated the items—a new IXU bat and his pink ODI jersey which has his name and number (18) inscribed on the back—after being nominated by his former teammate AB de Villiers.

“As you all know the Covid – 19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on a lot of people, and we’re experiencing these effects first hand in South Africa,” Du Plessis posted the message on his Instagram page with pictures of both the items.

“I’ve accepted the @allin_africa challenge after being nominated by @siya_kolisi_the_bear and @abdevilliers17. I’ve donated one of my almost new IXU bats and my Pink ODI shirt from the 2016 Pink ODI against England that will be auctioned on All in Africa’s website.

“All of the proceeds of the auction will go towards a project I’ve launched with the Hillsong Africa Foundation. The goal of the project is to raise R5,00,000 that will be used to feed vulnerable children from local communities. Every donation will go a long way in helping these children.’      

It is not the first time the 36-year-old cricketer has involved himself in charity work amid the pandemic.

Du Plessis and his wife Imari Visser had earlier raised funds through charity to feed 35,000 kids in South Africa, which has recently seen a surge in COVID cases. PTI