ICC & UNICEF to deliver ‘One Day 4 Children’ at India vs Sri Lanka fixture in Mumbai

Mumbai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF in partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Sri Lanka Cricket will bring the game's one billion fans together to celebrate One Day 4 Children on November 2 with a message of hope and support for every child to survive and thrive.

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will turn blue in what will be the pinnacle of an event-wide #BeAChampion campaign that is focused on using the global reach of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to help build a better world for every child and help create equal opportunities for girls and boys in every sphere.

The sell-out fixture will see fans attending provided an LED wristband that will be synced with a stadium-wide blue light show during the second innings. Players from India and Sri Lanka will support the amplification of the One Day 4 Children message alongside other legends of the game, including UNICEF and ICC Ambassadors Sachin Tendulkar and Muttiah Muralitharan.

The contributions raised throughout the campaign will support UNICEF’s work for children, aimed at ensuring every child gets an equal opportunity.

ICC and Global Broadcast Partner Star Sports will ensure the One Day 4 Children experience reaches television audiences around the globe, while various ICC Commercial Partners are supporting the event with in-match donations.

The One Day 4 Children fixture is part of a broader ICC Cricket 4 Good strategy and follows the launch of Criiio 4 Good, a new online, life skills learning initiative developed by the ICC, UNICEF and BCCI aimed at promoting gender equity among girls and boys. The eight learning modules are available free of charge at criiio.com/criiio4good, with the Indian Ministry of Education set to promote the program to over 1.5m schools.

In addition, the ICC, UNICEF and all 10 teams at the Cricket World Cup are hosting clinics in each host city, where hundreds of children from UNICEF programs are being given the chance to pick up a bat and ball alongside their heroes.

Fans wanting to contribute to UNICEF in support of children can visit help.unicef.org, with donations starting from as little as US$2, an ICC media release on Thursday said.

UNICEF Regional Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar participating in One Day 4 Children said, “Serving a cause greater than the game itself is a privilege. As Regional Ambassador for UNICEF South Asia, it’s been my privilege to bat for children and their rights. Every international cricketer, including myself, started as a child with a dream. I look forward to joining hands with UNICEF to see my home ground at the Wankhede Stadium turn blue as we champion equality for children across the world.”

ICC Ambassador Muttiah Muralitharan said, “I’m proud to support the ICC and UNICEF in promoting the One Day 4 Children match at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. I’m looking forward to catching up with my long time friend Sachin Tendulkar to turn the Wankhede Stadium blue for what will be a crucial fixture for the Sri Lankan team against the hosts. I hope everyone across the game can join us to be part of this special game and help improve the lives of children.”

Jay Shah, Secretary, BCCI said, “We are delighted to join hands with the ICC and UNICEF in championing the 'One Day for Children' initiative. This collaboration furthers our commitment of harnessing the transformative power of sport to create a better world for every child. The Wankhede Stadium glowing blue is more than a visual spectacle; it's a symbol of our collective efforts to support and nurture children and help them pursue their dreams. I firmly believe that this World Cup is a wonderful platform and an opportunity for us to create a legacy of hope, equality and opportunity for every child.”

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said, “One Day 4 Children is a special day on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup calendar, where the game comes together to inspire positive change. The ICC encourages players, fans, administrators and partners to combine our collective platform to support UNICEF to improve the lives of children. We are confident that cricket's one billion enthusiasts will unite to support our ambition of empowering women and girls through cricket. I’d like to thank UNICEF, the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket for their support in promoting this important cause."

Cynthia McCaffrey, Representative UNICEF India said, “Partnering with ICC Cricket for Good to celebrate ‘One Day for Children’ will help us promote the rights and wellbeing of children worldwide and show the true power of sports for social good. All the support and resources raised through this campaign will go a long way in helping children, with many projects using the unique power of cricket to deliver these objectives. Let's play not just to win the game but for a bigger victory for a better, brighter future for our children and helping them realize their dreams of playing on this grand stage one day.” (UNI)