The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced it has extended its partnership with UNICEF through to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 with the focus on empowering women and girls through cricket.

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The extension of the global charity partnership will once again see the ICC provide UNICEF with a platform for fundraising to help bring positive change to women and girls and drive awareness for the work that UNICEF does as a global champion for children’s rights in cricket playing nations around the world.

During the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, UNICEF raised $180,000 as part of One Day 4 Children and this money will go directly to fund a girls’ cricket project in Afghanistan. The programme which will run for 12 months, will comprise of a new competitive cricket competition for school aged girls as well as training for 120 teachers and providing cricket equipment to deliver cricket and a community outreach programme working with elders to reinforce the positive impact girls playing cricket can have.

Money raised during CWC19 will fund a girls’ cricket project in Afghanistan

Monies raised during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 will go to similar projects in cricket playing nations, including an innovative programme to promote girls’ participation in cricket in Sri Lanka and build peace in communities. Fans can be part of changing lives through cricket by donating various set amounts when buying tickets and at in-stadia activations. Fans watching globally will also be able to join in and make a difference through an online mechanism that will be promoted throughout the event.

ICC CEO Manu Sawhney said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with UNICEF to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. I want us to harness the extraordinary reach of our sport to empower women and girls around the world through cricket and using ICC events as a fundraising platform enables us to do that.

“Sport for development and in particular cricket can be a powerful tool to transform lives and the projects in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are designed to have a long-term positive impact with teachers being trained to deliver cricket to girls for years to come.”

Sport for development and in particular cricket can be a powerful tool to transform lives and the projects in Afghanistan

UNICEF Australia Chair Ann Sherry AO said: “Cricket has tremendous power to make a difference in the lives of children, especially girls, by building leadership skills, empowering them to achieve their goals and building bridges within communities - so that we can ultimately build a better world together.”

“We are excited to partner with the ICC on the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 and enormously proud that Australia is hosting this important event for women.”

The ICC and UNICEF partnership commenced in 2015, as part of the ICC’s global community outreach programme ‘Cricket 4 Good’. The partnership and public donations continue to bring positive change to children through the programmes in cricket playing nations focused on empowering women and girls in cricket.

Tickets to all ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 matches, including the semi-finals and final, are available now at t20worldcup.com, with all children’s tickets just $5 and adults tickets from $20. Fans buying tickets have the option of making a donation to UNICEF at the point of purchase.

Mithali Raj and Alex Blackwell have been trailblazers for women and helped launch the UNICEF partnership extension with the ICC

About the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020

In 2020 the best cricketers in the world will come together for the biggest women’s sporting event ever held in Australia. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will take place across the country from 21 February – 8 March, culminating in the final at the world’s biggest cricket stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Sunday 8 March - International Women’s Day. This presents the opportunity to set a new world record for attendance at a women’s sporting fixture.

10 teams will contest a total of 23 matches in six host cities, starting with a blockbuster match-up between hosts Australia and India at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday 21 February 2020.

Later in 2020, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will take place in Australia, from 18 October – 15 November, comprising 16 teams contesting 45 matches in seven host cities.

About UNICEF

UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.