In August this year Tendulkar turned many heads in Sri Lanka as he graced several functions in Colombo and the suburbs to raise awareness for the wellbeing of needy children
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s name will be etched in the minds of children across the whole of South Asia as he gears up to play the lead role for the less privileged kids at the Sri Lanka versus India World Cup match on November 2.
Tendulkar the todler who lived his dreams and that of his parents
Tendulkar the maker of 34,357 international runs and a hundred hundreds to go with his image, will be the cynosure of all eyes on the occasion as the United Nations ambassador for children (UNICEF) at the venue which is the grand Wankhede Stadium in the Indian city of Mumbai that is expected to turn into a sea of blue.
The occasion is being tagged ‘One Day 4 Children’ that the organizers say carries a message of “hope and support for every child to survive and thrive and build a better world for every child and create equal opportunities for girls and boys”.
The Sri Lanka versus India fixture on November 2 is reported to be a sell-out and will not only be graced by Tendulkar but also by Sri Lanka’s bowling legend and maestro of 800 Test wickets Muttiah Muralidaran who has more followers in India than his native country.
“Every international cricketer, including myself, started as a child with a dream,” Tendulkar said ahead of the event.
“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.”
In August this year Tendulkar turned many heads in Sri Lanka as he graced several functions in Colombo and the suburbs to raise awareness for the wellbeing of needy children.
Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah said the occasion will be unforgettable.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and UNICEF along with 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.
