(Web Desk) - Legends of the game Sachin Tendulkar and Muralidaran will be in attendance at India's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match against Sri Lanka on Thursday as Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium turns blue as part of a joint initiative between the ICC and UNICEF to celebrate "One Day 4 Children", with a message of hope and support for every child to survive and thrive.
The initiative is in partnership with both the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Sri Lanka Cricket and is part of the #BeAChampion campaign, harnessing the reach of the Cricket World Cup to build a better world for every child, and create equal opportunities for girls and boys.
The sell-out fixture will see fans attending given 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 message alongside other legends of the game, including UNICEF and ICC Ambassadors Tendulkar and Muralidaran.
"Every international cricketer, including myself, started as a child with a dream," Tendulkar said.
"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.”
The 'One Day 4 Children' match 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 programme to over 1.5m schools.
ICC and Global Broadcast Partner Star Sports will ensure the experience reaches television audiences around the globe, while various ICC commercial partners are supporting the event with in-match donations. Contributions raised throughout the campaign will support UNICEF’s work for children.
Honorary Secretary of the BCCI Jay Shah says he is looking forward to turning the Wankhede blue.
"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.”
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 programmes 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.