On Friday, the Hardik Pandya led-Mumbai Indians announced that their match against Delhi Capitals in Match 20 on April 7 during the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Wankhede Stadium will be commemorated as ESA (Education and Sports for All) Day.
Rohit Sharma, a highly esteemed cricketer in India and among the world’s top batters, is also recognized for his leadership skills as captain. Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding the Mumbai Indians’ captaincy, fans at the Wankhede Stadium displayed their backing for Rohit by chanting his name as he took the field.
18,000 Kids Chant “Rohit…Rohit” When Hardik Pandya Came For The Toss
The stadium was filled to capacity, resulting in an overwhelming roar from the crowd. Fans held up placards expressing their affection and support for the former MI captain. A video clip capturing the moment, where fans chant “Rohit-Rohit,” is now spreading rapidly across social media platforms.
The day is a part of the Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative by Reliance Foundation (RIL’s CSR arm) and Mumbai Indians. Every IPL season, Mumbai Indians dedicate one game to ESA, inviting over 20,000 children from NGOs across the city to watch a live match and support their favorite cricketers. Mumbai Indians shared this information in a release on Friday.
At the time of filing the report, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan were batting, and the team’s score stood at 21 runs without losing any wickets after two overs.
Since 2010, the Mumbai Indians have been backing sports and education for underprivileged children through their initiative called ESA (Education and Sports for All), which operates under the umbrella of Reliance Foundation.
Every year, thousands of children from NGOs supported by Reliance Foundation benefit from ESA, enjoying various experiences that include festive educational and sports activities aimed at bringing them joy and celebration.
Watch the video:
18000+ Children chanted Rohit-Rohit when Hardik Pandya came at the toss.
Rohit Sharma is massive ! 🔥🫡pic.twitter.com/lFzdTP4kYj
— 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝕏 (@ImHydro45) April 7, 2024
“The ball might not come on nicely unlike in a night game. But there will be less swing and it should be good to bat. We don’t want to put pressure onto us, but one win will give us a lot of confidence. Almost 18,000 young people are supporting us today, we’re here to represent them and want them to go back home with a smile,” Hardik said after losing the toss.
Playing XIs:
Mumbai Indians:
Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya(c), Tim David, Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Jasprit Bumrah
Impact players of MI: Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Naman Dhir, Nehal Wadhera, Shams Mulani
Delhi Capitals:
David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed
Impact players of DC: Kumar Kushagra, Yash Dhull, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sumit Kumar, Praveen Dubey
