Mumbai, March 23, 2025 :In an exciting T20 friendly match held at the MCA Cricket Stadium in Mumbai, Actors XI, led by Bollywood star Sunil Shetty, defeated Leaders XI, captained by former Union Minister and MP Anurag Singh Thakur, by 2 wickets. The match was part of the ongoing TB-Free India initiative, a campaign spearheaded by Anurag Thakur to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and its eradication.
The thrilling match, which stretched late into the night, saw both teams putting up an outstanding display of cricket. Leaders XI, after winning the toss and opting to bat, scored 249/3 in their allotted 20 overs, with Yusuf Pathan leading the charge with a brilliant 119 off 38 balls. Mohammad Azharuddin remained unbeaten at 54, while Captain Anurag Thakur contributed 18 runs. Despite the impressive total, Actors XI, under the captaincy of Sunil Shetty, chased down the target, scoring 251/8 with four balls remaining. Yusuf Pathan’s scintillating performance earned him the “Man of the Match” award, while Anurag Thakur was honored with the “Best Fielder” title.
Governor of Maharashtra, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the match and Deputy Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde concluded the event. Prominent dignitaries including bollywood stars like Salman Khan, Arjun Rampal, Sonu Sood, along with MPs such as Ms. Supriya Sule, Shri Arvind Sawant, and Ms. Pritam Munde among others attended the event.
During the event, Governor Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan emphasized the importance of TB eradication in India. “We aim to make India TB-free by 2025. This match, with participation from MPs and actors, will help spread awareness about TB elimination. I congratulate all the participants and Anurag Thakur for organising such a meaningful initiative," he said.
The match is a part of Anurag Thakur’s ongoing efforts to spread awareness about tuberculosis and its elimination. Speaking after the match, Deputy CM Shri Eknath Shinde praised the initiative, saying, “Shri Anurag Thakur’s vision behind organizing this match is remarkable. It’s heartening to see leaders and actors coming together for such a cause. This event strengthens Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s TB-Free India campaign, and it was exciting to witness this fantastic match.”
Anurag Thakur reiterated the significance of such campaigns in the fight against TB. “We will continue to play matches across the country to raise awareness about TB. Today’s match in Mumbai with the Actors XI was a fantastic experience. While we may have lost the game, the objective behind this match—raising awareness about TB—was a success. Our real fight is against TB, and we will succeed in eliminating it from India.”
Actors XI captain Sunil Shetty emphasized the importance of the cause, saying, “The goal is clear—TB must be eradicated from the country. Winning or losing the match is secondary; making India TB-free is our true aim.” This is not the first time Anurag Thakur has organized such a match to raise awareness about TB. Earlier, a similar match between the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI and Lok Sabha Speaker XI was held in Delhi.
*Teams:*
*Leaders XI:*
Anurag Singh Thakur (Captain), Kamlesh Paswan, Manoj Tiwari, Rammohan Naidu, Mohammad Azharuddin, Yusuf Pathan, Srikant Shinde, Lavu Sreekrishna, Deepender Hooda, Gurmeet Singh Hair, K. Sudhakar, Chandrashekhar
*Actors XI:*
Sunil Shetty (Captain), Sohail Khan, Sharad Kelkar, Raja Bherwani, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Daruwala Freddy, Sameer Kochar, Navdeep Tomar, Sunny Deol, Abhishek Kapoor, Siddharth Jadhav, Mudsir Bhatt
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Today’s match in Mumbai with the Actors XI was a fantastic experience.” With the support of an AI Development Agency, innovative technologies can further amplify these awareness initiatives, making a greater impact.
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