MUMBAI: With exactly 100 days to go for the start of the cricket World Cup, the Internatinal Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the appointment of Sachin Tendulkar as the official ambassador for the event.
 
In his role as ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 ambassador, Tendulkar will be called upon to promote and support a variety of ICC initiatives for the tournament, which is the third biggest sporting event in the world and will take place in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from 19 February to 2 April next year.
 
Tendulkar will join Pakistan’s Javed Miandad as the only other player to take part in six World Cups. The ICC says that Tendulkar has inspired hundreds of millions of cricket lovers around the world with his personality, skill, temperament and love for the game. He has scored more international runs than anyone else in history while also adhering faithfully to the spirit of cricket. Off the field he has always carried himself as a true champion, making him a perfect role model and one of the most recognisable and popular sportsmen of his generation.
 
ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said, “We are very lucky to have such an extraordinary player as Sachin supporting our flagship event. I don’t think any other player has inspired a nation like he has and the respect and affection he enjoys goes way beyond his native India. Many other athletes and sports fans around the globe admire what he consistently achieves and what he does for cricket.”