Prince William, standing on the iconic red‑paved Mall, finished with zero runs after a quick, one‑over stand with former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and retired star Ajinkya Rahane.
Ganguly delivered the first ball, catching William out for a duck, while Rahane, who recently hung up his bat, played a single ball and shared a laugh with the prince.
Ganguly, who assessed the prince’s batting, said, ‘He batted alright,’ and Rahane posted on LinkedIn that playing tennis‑ball cricket on The Mall with Buckingham Palace in the backdrop would stay with him forever.
The temporary pitch, usually reserved for royal processions, turned into a playground for legends such as Brian Lara, Joe Root and Harry Brook, all under the watchful eyes of onlookers and the looming award ceremony.
With the royal award ceremony just hours away, the event underscores cricket’s unifying spirit and hints at more charity matches featuring celebrities and former internationals in the coming weeks.