The Other Scorecard: Cricket’s Impact Off the Field

ISSUE No 7

We grow up loving this sport. The sound of ball on bat. The thrill of a tight finish. The joy of mimicking our heroes in the backyard or on the beach.

But as I’ve grown older first as a player, then as a fan, now as a global ambassador I’ve come to see cricket as much more than a game. It’s a powerful platform for good.

Cricket brings us together. Across countries, cultures, and communities. And when that unity is channeled toward something bigger, something meaningful, it can drive real social change.

Just look at the impact of cricket’s charity days.

·       In Australia, the iconic Jane McGrath Day has become more than just a fixture. Since 2009, it’s raised over A$28 million to fund breast cancer nurses across the country. One Test. One day. Millions raised.

·       In South Africa, Pink Day at the Wanderers turns the ODI into a sea of colour and compassion. Over R10 million raised to support breast cancer patients at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital .

·       In England, Red for Ruth by the Ruth Strauss Foundation honouring Ruth Strauss has raised £3 million to support families facing the loss of a parent. Blue for Bob by the The Bob Willis Fund has raised over £1.5 million for prostate cancer research in memory of Bob Willis.

It’s more than just money. These days spark conversations, raise awareness, and make health issues visible in ways public campaigns can’t always achieve. The cricket becomes the vehicle. The message becomes the moment.

This year, I had the privilege of being part of the first ever street cricket fundraiser for cancer in North America Cricket to Conquer Cancer. We played with purpose. We played for change. Over 40 teams, 400+ participants, 10 celebrity guests and CAD $1.16 million raised in one day for world-leading cancer research at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation

It hit close to home. When I stood with other players, families, and survivors that day, it reminded me how powerful sport can be. Not just to entertain but to heal, to unite, to inspire.

That’s the future I see for cricket.

We’re at a moment in time where the game is global, visible, and increasingly influential. So what if we committed to using it, not just to win trophies, but to win hearts? To fund life-saving research. To support communities. To amplify stories that matter.

Cricket has the scale, the emotion, and the reach to do all of it.

So let’s do it. More days with purpose, more causes backed by bat and ball, and more moments where we prove that this game we love can truly change lives.

Because in the end, the greatest legacy cricket can leave… isn’t what happens on the scoreboard.

It’s what happens after the stumps come out.