Earlier we had mentioned that this year IIFA 2010 will witness a cricket match between Indian cinema stars and Sri Lankan cricketers. The match is a part of a charity initiative called ‘Cricket for Children’ by the IIFA organizers in association with Sri Lanka Cricket and UNICEF.

Forming the Sri Lankan Cricket side are Sri Lankan cricketers, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumara Sangakkara and Jayawardena, among many others. The Indian contingent prepared to put up the fight for charity include superstars, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Suneil Shetty, Riteish Deshmukh and many more.

To introduce the initiative a media meet had been recently organized which was graced by longtime IIFA supporter and actor Anil Kapoor, legendary Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan and Hon. Dep Minister of Economic Development, Sri Lanka Mr. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.

Said Anil, “IIFA’s journey over the last ten years has opened many doors for the Indian film Industry in the host country, be it in terms of the film shooting avenues or the assistance given to filmmakers and producers from Government and Tourism bodies. IIFA has also helped propel Indian Cinema, by virtue of the deals that have been struck with production houses and the screening of our films that would have never had the opportunity to be showcased there, prior to the IIFA event.”

Through the efforts of IIFA, UNICEF and the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, contributions in lieu of financial resources are being made to the ‘Cricket for Children’ project where former child-soldiers and other vulnerable children are being rehabilitated. Through this initiative children are being trained as ‘Cricket Peer Leaders’ and will be given a chance to participate in the celebrity cricket match.

Adding a bit of glamour to the cricketing preceding, the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match official toss will be done at the hands of Bipasha Basu and Sanjay Dutt. The match to be held on day 2 of the Videocon IIFA Weekend is expected to draw large crowds, giving cricket and cinema fans to see the best of the two fraternities, on one platform.

The IIFA night of nights, the Micromax IIFA Awards 2010, will see a stunning performance line-up including, Salman Khan, Bipasha Basu, Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Sri Lanka’s own, Jacqueline Fernandez.

The Indian cinema stars are set to descend onto Colombo for the IIFA Weekend and Awards from the 3rd-5th of June, 2010.