Ravi Shastri Appointed Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassador

Cricket Australia has announced the initial representatives of its Multicultural Ambassador Program, a group of 53 individuals with a range of backgrounds and experiences in the public sector, corporate sector, media, sport, and community.

The Ambassador Program was unveiled as a major initiative of the Australian Cricket Multicultural Action Plan. It brings together distinguished professionals from a range of industries to promote inclusivity and encourage constructive change in the sport and community at large.

Several prominent figures from the past and present, as well as leaders from the business and community, are on the list of ambassadors. They will promote diversity and help achieve the objectives stated in the Multicultural Action Plan.

Usman Khawaja, Lisa Sthalekar, Wasim Akram, Ravi Shastri, Kishwar Chowdhury, Alana King, Peter Varghese, Swati Dave, and Fawad Ahmed are among the inaugural ambassadors.

The five focal areas of Australian Cricket’s Multicultural Action Plan—Participation, High Performance, People and Representation, Communications and Engagement, and Event and Experience—will be spearheaded by the ambassadors, who come from the government, business, community, media, and cricket.

By concentrating on their areas of expertise, the ambassadors will provide guidance, understanding, and assistance to promote more interconnectivity throughout the Australian cricket scene.

“We are ecstatic to have as Multicultural Ambassadors such a vibrant and varied group. “A more inclusive cricketing community will be fostered and meaningful change will be driven by their collective leadership, expertise, and passion,” stated Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley.

“Cricket Australia’s steadfast dedication to developing a sport that includes people from diverse backgrounds and reflects modern Australian culture is embodied in the Multicultural Ambassador Program. He continued, “The program strives to guarantee that cricket remains a welcome and inclusive sport for all via collaboration and collaborative action.

“Our objectives are clear: to create more opportunities for multicultural members of the community to engage with cricket, break down barriers, build trust, and drive progress across,” he said.

Usman Khawaja, the Australia opener, expressed his enthusiasm and positivity towards the new program.

As one of Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Ambassadors, I am honored to join the team. I view the game as a unifying force that fosters mutual respect, understanding, and harmony between diverse populations. By fostering opportunities, recognizing our mutual passion for the game, and encouraging people from all walks of life to participate, we as a sport must go above and beyond to guarantee a more comprehensive and fair representation of the community at large “added Khawaja.

Lisa Sthalekar, a former Australian player and cricket pundit, expressed her joy about the program and her belief in the ability of cricket to bring people together. She said it is an honor to be involved with it.

It’s a great privilege to be a Cricket Australia Multicultural Ambassador. I get to celebrate and advocate for the variety that contributes to our sport’s vibrancy and inclusivity in this capacity. People from all backgrounds can come together through cricket, and I’m dedicated to creating an atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to play the game and feels accepted,” stated Sthalekar.

The ambassadors, who were appointed for a two-year term, are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, including Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Indigenous Australian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Afghani communities.

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Distinguished public figures, powerful business executives, and community advocates are among the ambassadors. According to Cricket Australia, this broad makeup guarantees a multifarious approach to tackling the opportunities and difficulties associated to diversity and inclusion in society and cricket at all levels.