International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) will host a special charity cricket event, ‘Cricket for Children,’ to be played between India’s top film actors and Sri Lankan cricketers, in Sri Lankan capital Colombo.

The match is being held as part of the 'Videocon IIFA Weekend and Awards' nite which runs from June 3 to 5 in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotions Bureau.

“The unique initiatives undertaken by IIFA 2010 will undoubtedly forge a stronger bond between India and the host country,” said the Lankan Depty Minister of Economic Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena.

Longtime IIFA supporter, Indian film star, Anil Kapoor said, '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.'

The Lankan team comprises doyens such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumara Sangakkara and Jayawardena, while the Bollywood team will have superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Salman Khan, Suneil Shetty, Riteish Deshmukh and many others.

“Playing the greats of the Indian cricketing world has always been special to me. The IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match is indeed a unique opportunity to make friends with the greats of the Indian Cinema fraternity and see how they compare,' said an excited Muralitharan.

'I hope our countrymen will root for the cause, supporting the initiative of ‘Cricket for Children’, in the spirit of the game,' he added.

Adding a bit of glamour to the cricketing event, the official toss will be done by Bipasha Basu and Sanjay Dutt. The match to be held on second day of the gala is expected to draw huge crowds.

Recognizing the magnitude of the effects of the recently-ended conflict in Sri Lanka, the IIFA Charity Initiative, in conjunction with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board and Unicef, aims to positively impact the lives of former child soldiers and other vulnerable children.

Unicef Lanka representative, Philippe Duamelle said “Here we see the magic of cinema and cricket coming together to build bridges of hope for these children to help them realize their full potential.”

'As a symbol of solidarity with Lankan people, IIFA in partnership with Habitat for Humanity will adopt and rebuild a village in for refugees, with the proceeds of the cricket match being donated to this cause, the IIFA Hands for Humanity project,' he added.

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

With a few more performances and tricks up its sleeve, the Awards ceremony will prove to be a never before spectacle, sure to dazzle the Emerald Isle, said Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft International, which has conceptualized and produced the event.

On the IIFA association, Anirudh Dhoot, director of Videocon Industries said, the event  brings together and showcases Indian entertainment on a global platform and presents us the perfect opportunity to celebrate our brand evolution amidst India's colourful cultural diaspora.

Sponsoring the Micromax IIFA Awards for the first time, business director of Micromax Mobile, Vikas Jain said, “Micromax is delighted about its association with the IIFA Awards – a platform that is synonymous with innovation and appeal, as is Micromax.”

Taking the greening of the IIFAs forward in IIFA’s eleventh year, Panasonic announced the continuation of its association with IIFA.

Manish Sharma, director of marketing, Panasonic India said, “It is an honour for us to carry forward the association with an international cinema platform like IIFA which recognizes excellence. Taking the Greening of the IIFAs forward, we will focus on building a movement to help protect the environment,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service