Kolkata, February 8 Italian cricketers held a special practice session with 32 children at Eden Gardens here on Sunday, ahead of their historic first match against Scotland in the T20 World Cup on February 9.
Girls and boys from Kolkata schools bowled, batted, and received tips from the Italian cricketers on the field.
The players also interacted with the students and signed autographs on their T-shirts.
The international players expressed their joy and happiness at being with the children and cheered for them, UNICEF said in a press statement.
Appreciating the Italian team for dedicating time to the ICC-UNICEF initiative of 'Cricket 4 Good', UNICEF West Bengal chief Monjur Hossain spoke about the importance of 'Right to Play' and creating 'safe spaces for children in schools and neighbourhoods' to play and learn for overall development.
"You need a safe place to play with confidence, joy, and happiness. Together with ICC, UNICEF has been promoting children's right to play through the cricket clinic," he said.
Expressing his excitement for the tournament and the warm-up with the children, Italian wicketkeeper and batter Gian-Piero Meade said, "We coached the kids, and they shared a lot of experience. It was great to see their smiles during the session. The joy and excitement were palpable."
Meade said that some of the players were very technically skilled, and there were several good fast bowlers, as he observed the boys while keeping wicket.
Describing the tips and advice as helpful, Hiramon Bairagi, a promising all-rounder, said it had been a dream come true to meet these international players.
"The tips will be beneficial for me in my future matches. The interactions have been very motivating for me," he said.
One of the coaches for Team Italy, Mohsin Sheikh said, "It is very encouraging to see these girls playing cricket. This clinic offered a scope for these youngsters to interact with the international players and get an opportunity to bat and bowl with them."