Over the decades, numerous legendary international cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan and many others, have undoubtedly garnered immense fame and recognition for their unmatched exploits on the field. While the majority of international cricketers have remained limited to their excellence on the field, a few of these legendary cricket stalwarts have gone ahead and captured a million hearts with their philanthropic efforts.
A few international cricketers, including Shahid Afridi, Kumar Sangakkara and others, have turned into philanthropists and helped numerous communities through their reputed NGOs. Have you ever wondered about the top-notch cricketers who have transformed into trailblazing changemakers and unconditionally served society with their renowned NGOs? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four international cricketers who have served society through their NGOs.
Top 4 Cricketers Who Served Society Through Their NGOs
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Shahid Afridi, Pakistan
Often hailed as one of the most prolific all-rounders in the history of international cricket, the Pakistani former cricketer and captain of the Pakistan national cricket team, Shahid Afridi, is at the first spot in our list of the top four cricketers who turned philanthropists and helped communities through their NGOs. The legendary former Pakistani all-rounder established the Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) in March 2014 with a vision to uplift and transform the lives of underprivileged communities in Pakistan and globally by providing them with education, healthcare, access to clean water, sports development, and emergency relief.
The Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) runs a network of over 155 schools providing free education to over 30,000 students. In one of his recent interviews, Shahid Afridi revealed that he is looking forward to expanding the operations and reaching out to an estimated 1,00,000 more unprivileged children by the end of 2025. Additionally, through his SAF NGO, Afridi also runs Sahibzada Fazal Rehman Charity Hospital in Kohat and a Mother and Child Health Promotion Centre in Malikpur, Lahore, serving thousands of beneficiaries in his home country.
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Glenn McGrath, Australia
At the second spot in our list of the top four international cricketers who have served society through their NGOs, we have the trailblazing Australian former international cricketer Glenn McGrath, who is often regarded as one of the most lethal bowlers to ever represent Australia in the ever-competitive arena of international cricket. The legendary Australian former international cricketer Glenn McGrath established the prominent and renowned McGrath Foundation in 2005 along with his late wife Jane McGrath, who battled breast cancer.
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Glenn McGrath established the McGrath Foundation in 2005 with a clear vision of reaching out and helping families in Australia affected by breast cancer. The Australian cricketing stalwart strategically placed McGrath Breast Care Nurses across regional, rural, and metropolitan areas all over Australia, offering patients and their families with clinical, emotional, and psychosocial support. Most recently, in February 2025, Glenn McGrath’s NGO expanded its mission to include support for all types of cancer patients in Australia.
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Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four cricketers who have turned philanthropists and helped communities through their NGOs, we have the legendary Sri Lankan former international cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan, who represented Sri Lanka from 1992 to 2011 and is still regarded as one of the most successful and lethal bowlers in the history of international cricket so far. The legendary Sri Lankan former bowler Muttiah Muralitharan established his NGO “Foundation of Goodness” in 1999 alongside Ashan Malalasekera.
Muttiah Muralitharan’s “Foundation of Goodness” strategically works on the development of children and youth, providing them with free education and vocational training. Additionally, the foundation also works on empowering women from the rural as well as metropolitan areas. As of August 2025, Muttiah Muralitharan’s “Foundation of Goodness” has established over 50 Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centres wherein they offer a wide spectrum of free services including IT, classes, skills training, and life coaching.
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Jacques Kallis, South Africa
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four international cricketers who have served society through their NGOs, we have the iconic South African cricket coach and former professional cricketer Jacques Kallis, who is often hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders to ever play for South Africa. The trailblazing South African all-rounder, Jacques Kallis, established his NGO “Jacques Kallis Scholarship Foundation” in 2005 with the aim of supporting talented youths through scholarships.
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As of August 2025, Jacques Kallis’ NGO offers scholarships to two students each from four notable South African schools, including Wynberg Boys’ High School, Maritzburg College, Pretoria Boys’ High School and Selborne College. In addition to providing educational scholarships, the Jacques Kallis Scholarship Foundation also offers young underprivileged students high-end mentoring programs to sharpen their cricketing skills.
According to reports, the Jacques Kallis Scholarship Foundation has uplifted numerous underprivileged children and successfully provided life-changing scholarships and free-of-cost mentoring programs to an estimated total of 44 students as of August 2025.
