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The roar of the crowd met not just a trophy, but powerful message of hope. As the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 unfolded in Navi Mumbai, the spotlight turned to a unique collaboration that brought together sports, gender equality, and the power of celebrity voices — all united under UNICEF’s #PromiseForChildren campaign. India won the match against Australia UNICEF India National Ambassadors and Bollywood stars Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ayushmann Khurrana, accompanied by Mithali Raj, former Captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket team, led the Trophy Walkout in a symbolic show of support for child rights ahead of World Children’s Day. The events marked a highlight in the ongoing partnership between UNICEF and the International Cricket Council (ICC) — a global collaboration leveraging cricket’s immense reach to uphold children’s rights to education, health, nutrition, safe water, and protection from violence, especially for the most vulnerable girls. Kareena Kapoor Khan advocated for equal opportunities for every child as part of the UNICEF-ICC ‘Promise for Children’ campaign that encourages citizens to protect and promote the rights of children in India by making a promise to them. Speaking on her engagement, Kareena Kapoor Khan said, “As a UNICEF India National Ambassador, I am honoured to be part of this partnership with the ICC to champion children's rights connecting with millions of people leveraging their love for cricket. When such a powerful platform carries messages of equality and opportunity for children, it musters the power to inspire change. When children are healthy, educated, safe, they thrive and only then can they realize their dreams. The ICC Women's Cricket World Cup demonstrates that potential,” she added. Earlier in the week, noted Bollywood star and UNICEF India National Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana spoke about the power of cricket in bringing change. “As UNICEF India National Ambassador, I am honoured to be here today to support the UNICEF-ICC partnership for children’s rights. Cricket is more than a game in India, it’s an emotion that brings people together. When fans, players, and organisations come together through cricket to talk about their promise to children, equality and opportunity, that message reaches millions. It’s a spark that can inspire many more and I am thankful for UNICEF for championing this cause,” he said. “The Trophy Walkout is a reminder of our shared responsibility to make and fulfil our meaningful promise to every child.” Commending the global partnership between UNICEF and ICC, UNICEF India Representative Cynthia McCaffrey said, "Over almost a decade, ICC and UNICEF have championed the rights and empowerment of every child, especially girls most in need. Building on this strong foundation, our Promise to Children campaign calls on all of us to take small and meaningful actions to give every child the chance to learn, play, and grow in safe and supportive environments. ICC's global platform reminds us of the power of play, teamwork and resilience and compels all of us — fans, followers everywhere — to come together to support every child's opportunity to pursue their dreams." The ICC–UNICEF “Promise to Children” digital campaign, launched in September 2025 for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, is being amplified across match venues in India and Colombo. It calls on cricket fans, players, and audiences to stand with UNICEF in supporting every child’s right to grow up safe, educated, and empowered. Through their long association with UNICEF India, celebrity actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ayushmann Khurrana have strongly advocated for the rights and well-being of children across the country. As UNICEF India’s National Ambassadors, they have championed critical causes for children. Because when cricket and cinema come together, every promise made to a child becomes a step toward a fairer, brighter future. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Mumbai, India and around the world.
