Anis Sajan Gifts 400 Champions Trophy Tickets to Blue Collar Workers

As the increasing buzz surrounding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 rumbling in the UAE, one person believes that the benefit of sport lies beyond cricket. Mr. Cricket UAE, Anis Sajan, Vice-Chairman, Danube Group, is heading an inspiring initiative to bring the community together through cricket.

This act of corporate social responsibility included a brilliant decision to give almost 400 tickets to blue-collar workers living across the UAE to witness live the ICC Champions Trophy. Such inspiring acts will not only bring the workers closer to the sport, but also remind that Danube Group basks in its glory with efforts going to uplift communities.

On February 18 an event took place at the Danube Warehouse, where we heared Sajan explain the vision behind the initiative. It is not just about the players playing on the field, but also about bringing people together, spreading the joy of cricket, and making an indelible mark within communities.

Anis Sajan Distributes 400 Tickets to ICC Champions Trophy at Danube Warehouse

Warm and electric was the atmosphere at the Jebel Ali warehouse of Danube, where Anis Sajan presented 400 tickets for the ICC Champions Trophy event. It was an enthusiastic show, with employees celebrating their happiness and cricket fans rejoicing in the passion of the game. Sajan assured everyone of the sole purpose of unity dictating through cricket; everybody left that event feeling connected to the tournament.

The selection procedure was undertaken through a draw, so that it is justified to state that all interested workers were given an equal chance. Interested workers agreed to submit their names to witness the matches, and a drawing was done to finalize their inclusion. It is also strategic distribution since some of the heavyweights these teams will face including Bangladesh vs. India on 20th; India vs. Pakistan on 23rd; India vs. New Zealand on 2nd March; semi-final on 4th March.

We did an exclusive interview with Mr. Sajan regarding his love for the game and personal insights. Asked about his all-time favorite cricketer, Sajan fondly responded, accepting Sunil Gavaskar as, “The younger generation would want me to say Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, but I am old school. Sunil Gavaskar is my all-time favorite. I grew up watching him play, and he was regarded as the ‘Little Master’ of India—one of the finest cricketers the country has ever produced.” One could clearly see this personal tie to the sport as Sajan spoke passionately about it.

Passionate about cricket, Sajan has a family of cricket enthusiasts; his youngest son is an ardent admirer of MS Dhoni while his elder son is a fan of Yuvraj Singh. Everyone has their own favorites,” he said with a smile. When asked about his favorite pastime other than being Executive Director of Danube, he jokingly remarked that he might indulge in part-time roles within the Bollywood boundaries.

Excitement Builds Before ICC Champion Trophy

As the ICC Champions Trophy approaches, Sajan was driven when he said, “I have a lot of blue-collar workers who are Pakistanis. Therefore, I don’t want to hurt them by saying India would win. But looking at the records, it’s going to be India, taking the edge in ODIs since the 2017 Champions Trophy. India has won five or six games against Pakistan. So, I would say India has the upper hand. But love to see these two teams meet in the finals. As an Indian, of course, I want India to win.”

Sajan’s son, Sahil Sajan, also joined the fray by selecting MS Dhoni without a second thought instead of Rohit Sharma. The ceremony ending this event culminated in match ticket and jersey shirt signing by Anis Sajan.

The day concluded with the traditional cutting of the cake that all the employees joined in commemoration of the event. Excitement and gratitude colored the mood while shouting longs for the opportunity to witness what is arguably one of the biggest cricket tournaments. All these would lead to an environment filled with unknown heights of excitement as the ICC Champions Trophy draws near at Danube, with fans ready to hit the contest between cricket’s biggest rivals.