After mid-day highlighted last month the poor financial condition of India's two-time blind World Cup-winning cricket team captain Shekhar Naik, the cricketer has now received monetary help.

The lockdown had dried up Naik's finances due to which he had to take a Rs 1 lakh loan by mortgaging his wife's gold jewelry. However, on Sunday afternoon, Naik, 33, received a call from former India opener and Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) president Ashok Malhotra, informing him that the ICA will be granting him Rs 1 lakh. "This has happened only because of Malhotra sir and mid-day. I would like to express my gratitude to both. On May 28, mid-day had written about my financial struggles. Malhotra sir read about it and sanctioned R1 lakh," Naik, the only blind India cricketer to be honoured with the Padma Shri, told mid-day from Bangalore yesterday.