Edgbaston turns blue as ICC delivers 'One Day for Children' campaign

Birmingham, June 30 (IANS) Edgbaston turned blue on Sunday as the ICC Cricket for Good, in partnership with UNICEF, delivered the pinnacle event of the tournament, the eOne Day for Children campaign, with a special celebration at the England versus India World Cup match here.

The sell-out fixture will see players from both the world's top ranked one-day sides in special #OneDay4Children branded kit, celebrities and legends of the game participating in unique activations, and fundraising both in the stadium and across the live broadcast, while over 24,000 spectators join in the action at Edgbaston.

The money raised throughout the campaign will support UNICEF's work for children in cricket playing nations across the world, as the sport's one billion fans unite to ensure children have the chance to learn, play and be healthy. A core focus of the activities on Sunday will be to maximise fundraising from the in-venue and broadcast audience.

Tournament broadcasters Sky and Star Sports will ensure that the #OneDay4Children experience reaches television audiences around the globe, while the ICC's commercial partners are supporting the event with in-match donations. 

Uber is pledging $500 for every 4 hit during the match while Booking.com is donating 500 pound for every wicket taken. In addition, Gray Nicolls has created a limited edition light blue bat for the day, with 25 per cent of proceeds going to UNICEF, a statement said.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: "ICC Cricket for Good have enjoyed a long relationship with UNICEF, and we are thrilled to deliver eOne Day for Children' alongside them today. We hope that fans in the ground, across the UK and around the world get involved and donate and show the power of the global cricket community to help children play, learn and be healthy."

Mike Penrose, Executive Director at UNICEF, UK, said: "Partnering with ICC Cricket for Good to deliver eOne Day for Children' has allowed us to raise vital funds for children worldwide and show the true power of sport for social good. The money raised through this campaign will continue to help children in cricket playing nations, with many projects using the unique power of cricket to deliver these objectives."

Steve Elworthy, Managing Director at the ICC World Cup, added: "The experience at Edgbaston today will be unlike any other World Cup match fans have seen this summer, as we celebrate the #OneDay4Children campaign. With a sell-out ground and potentially hundreds of millions watching around the world, we can tap into the unparalleled power of the tournament's audience to make a marked difference in children's lives."