Words by Smiley Team
As Delhi grapples with its third wave of Covid-19, cricket stars old and new, including Hashim Amla, Rory Burns, Morne Morkel, Ian Bell, Veda Krishnamurthy and WV Raman, are uniting in support of WaterAid’s call to help bring clean water to millions of people in India, so they can better defend themselves against the spread of infectious diseases.
Frequent handwashing with soap reduces the spread of coronaviruses by around a third, yet only 1 in 4 households in India have clean water, putting families on the back foot when it comes to maintaining good health and hygiene.
In support of WaterAid’s campaign to #BringWater to the missing 75%, Surrey County Cricket Club players Hashim Amla, Rory Burns, Morne Morkel, Will Jacks, Amar Virdi and Liam Plunkett have been trying their hand at defending the wicket with WaterAid’s specially designed bat, which is just a quarter of the size of a normal bat, while in practice at the Kia Oval.
“I wouldn’t play a match without all the right equipment, and people shouldn’t be left to protect their health without something so vital as clean water." Rory Burns, Surrey Cricket Club captain and England batsman said.
"Please support WaterAid’s Bring Water campaign and help get clean water to vulnerable people in India, transforming lives for good.”
Ian Bell, former batsman for Warwickshire and England, signed a bat to donate to the campaign. He said:
“You can’t defend a wicket without a decent bat, and you can’t protect yourself against diseases like coronavirus without clean water and good hygiene. It’s easy to take clean water for granted when you have it on tap, but millions live without this basic human right. Together we can tackle this injustice by helping bring water to those in need.”
Mark Ramprakash, former batsman who played for England and Middlesex, also joined the campaign by signing a bat to help raise money for WaterAid.
“I’m proud to be supporting WaterAid’s ‘Bring Water’ campaign." said Ramprakash.
"We know washing our hands with water and soap is vital for helping to prevent the spread of Covid-19, yet only a quarter of households in India have access to clean water in their home. I’ve had the privilege of visiting India as a player and coach, and I’m so glad we can use the sport I love to raise awareness of this injustice.
WaterAid is doing wonderful work to get clean water to those who need it most, and we can all do our part to help communities defend themselves.”
To donate to WaterAid’s #BringWater campaign and help transform more lives, click here.
