England skipper and batsman Joe Root and Sam Curran got in talks with the members of the 2019 Street Child Cricket World Cup winners at the Lord’s, ahead of the first Test of England’s India tour.
Root and Curran talked to two members of India (South) Street Child Cricket team, Paulraj and Monisha, in a virtual discussion. Joe Root and Sam Curran said that they are looking forward to an exciting match between two of the strongest teams that won their previous games with their respective opponents by an impressive margin.
The cricketers talked about their time at the Lord’s, their journey in the game, and also discussed their upcoming Test series against India.
“We are very excited about the series. It should be really entertaining as India is coming off the back of a brilliant series win in Australia. We will make sure we are well-prepared as we can be when the first Test starts on Friday,” skipper Joe Root said.
“I think it is going to be a fantastic series, both teams are in good form. Australia was beaten by India and we have just come from Sri Lanka where we did really well. Two quality teams coming together is going to be great to watch,” all-rounder Sam Curran said.
Paulraj and Monisha shared their experiences with the senior players and their victory at the Lord’s in 2019. The British High Commission facilitated the discussion.
The Street Child Cricket World Cup is an international sporting event that aims to bring together street children from all around the globe to participate. It aims to provide such children with a brighter future by providing them with a forum where they can exercise their human rights.
It is a tournament that is a mixed-gender event with a unique format called Street-20. Eight teams participate in the tournament, each team comprising an equal number of boys and girls. The event is organized by a London-based NGO named Street Child United. The India (south) team is supported by NGOs Karunalaya Foundation and Magic Bus.
Commending the young players for their brilliant work, Root said, “You both should be very proud of what you have been doing for the street kids in India and other parts of the world. It shows great leadership from a very young age and you should be immensely proud of the example you have set for people in similar conditions.”
The four-match Test series between India and England will commence on February 5 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
