Prince William plays cricket on The Mall for Earthshot

Prince William played an informal cricket match on The Mall outside Buckingham Palace on October 13, joining current and former international players in an event promoting the Earthshot Prize’s upcoming ceremony in Mumbai. The appearance brought cricket onto a central London thoroughfare more commonly used for royal processions and public celebrations. Among those taking part were England captain Joe Root, former India captains Sourav Ganguly and Ajinkya Rahane, and West Indies batter Brian Lara. Other reported participants included England players Harry Brook and James Anderson, as well as Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Nat Sciver-Brunt. Reports also described grassroots cricketers joining the game. William tried both batting and bowling. He faced deliveries from players including Ganguly and Lara, and took selfies with people gathered along The Mall afterward. Ganguly described William’s batting as “alright,” according to an account of the event. Lara offered a more detailed assessment, saying William’s bowling needed work while suggesting he could bat lower in a team’s order.