Sri Lanka Murali to raise cash for war-displaced

March 28, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's legendary bowler Muttiah Muralitharan plans to travel overseas to drum up funds to build a sports complex for war-displaced civilians.





Muralitharan, who holds the world record for 800 Test and 538 one-day wickets, wants to build the centre in northern Sri Lanka to build a new life for thousands of children in the former war zone.

"Financially we are not a wealthy country.

But we have to help these people to rebuild their lives. I plan to travel abroad and talk to people, to raise money to build the facility," he said.

The million dollar project will be the second for Muralitharan's charity, the Foundation of Goodness, after having set up a similar project in a tsunami-hit southern coastal village of Seenigama.

The two-year project in Mankulam, 300 kilometres (187 miles) north of Colombo, aims to build a sports centre, a school, English and IT training centres and an Elders' Home.

Muralitharan, who will quit international cricket after the World Cup, said he is reaching out to cricketers overseas to contribute.

"Cricket unites communities, and we can use the game to reach out and help those who are less p