KKR names deceased U-19 player Ankit Keshri as 16th member; to give his family Rs 10 lakh

Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday showed a noble gesture by including the deceased cricketer Ankit Keshri as the 16th member of their side in an IPL T20 cricket match against Rajasthan Royals at Eden Gardens, in Kolkata.

The home side will hand over a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the Ankit's family at the post match presentation.

"We're too happy to do so and it's an opportunity for KKR in a small way to remember Ankit and the premature end he faced," CEO and MD of Kolkata Knight Riders Sports Private Ltd said in a letter to the Cricket Association of Bengal.

The CAB also displayed a portrait of Ankit with a caption -- 'Ankit Forever' -- all over the stadium.

Earlier former India captain Sourav Ganguly had decided to give away his BCCI pension for this year to the deceased former Under-19 Bengal captain's family.

In another tragic on-field incident after Phillip Hughes' death last November, the East Bengal cricketer passed away three days after sustaining a head injury during  a CAB senior one-day knock-out match against Bhowanipore SC on April 17.

Ankit was in hospital for three days and was showing signs of recovery but died on April 20 early morning after a massive cardiac arrest.

The 20-year-old, a talented right-hander, had captained the Bengal U-19 team in Cooch Behar Trophy and was in the 30-member India U-19 probables list for the 2014 Colts World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. He was also playing for Bengal A (U-23 side) in CK Nayudu national Championship.