Prince William halted traffic outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday to play cricket with stars like Sourav Ganguly and Brian Lara. The Prince used the game to promote his Earthshot climate prize. Brian Lara said, "His bowling needs a lot of work, but his batting? I'd put him as the number six."
Prince William brought a touch of cricket to one of London's most iconic landmarks on Tuesday, turning The Mall, the ceremonial road leading to Buckingham Palace, into an impromptu playing field as he joined leading figures from the sport to promote his Earthshot climate prize.
Usually associated with royal parades and major national celebrations, the broad, red-surfaced avenue took on a different look as the Prince of Wales picked up a bat for a casual game alongside several prominent cricketers.
The gathering featured former India captain Sourav Ganguly, West Indies great Brian Lara and England skipper Joe Root, among other current and former international players.
With Buckingham Palace providing a grand backdrop, William, dressed in a shirt and sweater, struck a series of gentle deliveries bowled by Ganguly. He also stopped to take selfies with spectators who had gathered to watch the unusual sporting spectacle.
"He batted alright. He's better than me at the moment because I just picked up a cricket bat for the first time in eight or nine years. He was so friendly with everyone, simple and down to earth.
"India will welcome him, cordially. He's such a lovely-natured person, smiling, shaking hands with everyone."
While his batting got a lot of praise from Ganguly and Joe Root, Brian Lara was critical of William's bowling, saying it still needed to be worked upon.
"He underrates himself; he's a big football fan, he said he doesn't know much about cricket. His bowling needs a lot of work, but his batting? I'd put him as the number six or number seven batter, definitely in the starting 11," said Lara.
The initiative aimed to strengthen the cricketing bond between India and Britain, with India set to host the annual Earthshot Prize summit and awards ceremony, founded by Prince William, next month.