By IANS,
New Delhi : Urging the “gentleman’s game” – cricket- to be gentle to animals too, People for Ethical Treatment to Animals (PETA) has written to International Cricket Council (ICC) president Sharad Pawar to make this cricket World Cup the last to use real leather balls.
“Although millions of fans across the globe are currently enjoying the cricket World Cup, cricket is anything but fun for the animals whose skin is used to make balls for the sport, and leather production wreaks havoc on the environment,” the letter, signed by Poorva Joshipura, chief functionary of PETA, said.
Giving a painful description of how animals are slaughtered for their hide, the letter urged that leather balls be replaced with synthetic ones.
“Cricket balls made with synthetic leather would be better for animals, the environment and the players. In the US, both the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) play with synthetic leather basketballs,” it added.
“As the so-called ‘Gentleman’s game’, cricket should be gentle on animals and the environment by making the switch to synthetic balls,” PETA said.