Cricket-New Zealand's Nicholls donates World Cup final shirt

New Zealand batsman Henry Nicholls will donate the shirt he wore in the heart-stopping final of last year's World Cup in England to help raise funds for the battle against the COVID-19, media reports said on Thursday. The 28-year-old will donate the half-sleeve shirt, signed by his teammates, to the local chapter of United Nations' children's fund UNICEF, the Stuff website reported.

"...everything that happened at the World Cup last year, that's a pretty memorable experience," Nicholls, New Zealand's top scorer in that tied final which ended with England declared winners on boundary count, told the website. "I thought I could put that shirt up as a bit of an incentive for people to donate."

Anyone who donates by Monday, irrespective of the amount, will enter a draw and the owner will get the shirt. "For me, I wanted to go away from the auction sort of thing, where the highest bidder wins it," the top-order batsman said.

"I wanted to make it a bit more inclusive and anyone can donate five or 10 dollars and go into the draw to win it. "It all adds up. A lot of families and everyone in New Zealand is really feeling the pinch. It's a small little thing and hopefully, it can make a big difference."

Earlier this month, England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler raised 65,100 pounds ($81,518) for two hospitals in London by auctioning the shirt he wore in the same final at Lord's. ($1 = 0.7986 pounds)