England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than £65,000 ($80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.
Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.
Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.
By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying £65,100.
Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause."
The worldwide spread of COVID-19 has brought cricket to a standstill, with the start of the English season delayed until at least May 28.
Lucrative tours to England by the West Indies, Pakistan and Australia are in doubt.
England's centrally contracted players responded last week to the looming financial crisis facing the game by announcing an "initial donation" of £500,000 in support of the England and Wales Cricket Board and good causes.
That is the equivalent to a 20 percent pay cut for three months.
The players' decision followed the ECB's announcement of a £61 million aid package for the English game and a 25 percent pay for board chief executive Tom Harrison.
Read | Buttler 'amazed' by success of World Cup shirt auction
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Ellis
