Mangaluru : Sportspersons to be prepared to make sacrificesand to develop a never-say-die spirit, said former Indian cricketer Syed Kirmani on Monday.

Speaking at Darpana – a function organised by Mangalore University to felicitate students who excelled in inter-university, national and international sports events – Mr. Kirmani said: “You need to be a good fighter and never give up.”

Mr. Kirmani recalled one of his own experiences, the 126-run ninth-wicket partnership with Kapil Dev in the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe . “It was a do-or-die situation,” he said when he came to the crease following the fall of the eighth wicket.

He went upto to Mr. Dev and told him to try for a boundary with every ball.

“He was our best striker. I promised to give him the strike at all times.”

“Believe in your strength and do not succumb to pressure. Tell yourself to perform at your best at all times, come what may,” he told sportspersons and pointed out that he had followed this philosophy all through this cricketing career.

Mr. Kirmani and national kabaddi player Prashanth Rai, who was captain of the university kabaddi team, felicitated 182 sportspersons of the university.

The Alva’s College Moodbidri received the trophy as overall champion for the year 2018-19, while the Shree Dharmastala Manjunatheswara College, Ujire and Alva’s College of Physical Education received permanent trophies as runner’s up and third place holders.