World Cup-winning Indian squad`s memorabilia to be auctioned

Mumbai: Despite India staring at their second consecutive overseas series whitewash, the World Cup-winning players` autographed bat is all set to go under the auctioneer`s hammer here next month.

A bat and a ball signed by the members of the triumphant 2011 World Cup-winning squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni are among various sports memorabilia listed for the auction to be held here on February 11 to raise money for actor Rahul Bose`s charitable trust `The Foundation`. Among other notable items that would be auctioned off, includes Dhoni`s bat that he used in the World Cup, the autographed bat by all captains who took part in the mega event, the shoes worn by pacer Zaheer Khan. Retired Indian footballer and former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who is associated with `The Foundation` since last year, was present at the memorabilia unveiling function on Friday. Two T-shirts worn by the `Sikkimese Sniper` during his farewell encounter against German club "Bayern Munich" at New Delhi earlier this month would also go under the hammer. And Bhutia said that the proceeds would go to "Sikkim Relief Fund". Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal`s autographed tennis shoes and a football autographed by Argentina`s mercurial player Lionel Messi will also be up for grabs. Among the 29 sports items to be auctioned off are West Indian great Brian Lara`s bat, the running shoes worn by "Flying Sikh" Milkha Singh when he finished fourth in the 200m at the 1960 Rome Olympics and the memorabilia of erstwhile all-rounders Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee. Other sports items to go under the hammer belongs to cricketers VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh, five-time women`s world boxing champion MC Mary Kom, tennis duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, 2010 world wrestling champion and Olympic bronze medal winner Sushil Kumar, Beijing bronze medal-winning boxer Vijender Singh and hockey ace Dhanraj Pillay. Also in the list to be auctioned off are the Test blazers and pullovers of the erstwhile Indian spin quartet as well as an autographed ball by the foursome -- Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekar, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Bishen Singh Bedi. The proceeds of the auction, other than those mentioned by Bhutia, would go towards Bose`s charitable foundation. PTI