Continuing their commitment to creating purpose-led impact through sport, the UP Warriorz have announced a dedicated awareness match during the ongoing Women’s Premier League (WPL) season to advocate free, flexible, and lifelong education for girls. The special fixture will be played on January 17 against Mumbai Indians, built around the belief that every girl deserves her innings — both on the cricket field and in life.
At the core of this initiative is the Warriorz’ ongoing partnership with Educate Girls, a grassroots organisation that works across underserved communities to improve access to education for girls. Together, the two aim to shine a spotlight on open schooling as a powerful alternative for girls who have had to step away from formal education due to social, economic, or personal challenges.
Why Open Schooling Matters
Open schooling allows learners to complete their Class 10 and 12 education without attending regular school, offering flexibility, credibility, and access at little or no cost. For adolescent girls and young women — including athletes, caregivers, and first-generation learners — this model offers a vital second chance to continue learning on their own terms.
Educate Girls currently operates across 12 states and is working to strengthen the open schooling ecosystem. The organisation has also set an ambitious 10×10 goal — to reach 10 million learners in 10 years — reinforcing the idea that education should be viewed as a lifelong opportunity rather than a one-time pathway.
Using the WPL Platform for Advocacy
Leveraging the scale and reach of the WPL, the UP Warriorz plan to take this message beyond awareness and into advocacy. The initiative will be amplified through broadcast coverage, in-stadium engagement, and fan-focused activations, helping bring the conversation around second-chance education into the mainstream.
Speaking on the initiative, Jinisha Sharma, Director, Capri Sports, said:
“At UP Warriorz, we believe sport has the power to shape conversations that extend far beyond the game. This special match reflects our belief that education should adapt to life, not the other way around. Through our partnership with Educate Girls, we hope to normalise second chances in education and remind every girl that her learning journey does not have to end because life took a different turn.”
A Jersey That Carries Girls’ Dreams
As part of the special match, the UP Warriorz will take the field in a limited-edition jersey, designed exclusively for the occasion in collaboration with renowned artist Harun Robert, popularly known as Rob. The jersey features excerpts from handwritten letters penned by girls associated with Educate Girls, addressed to their future selves and filled with dreams, hopes, and ambitions.
The design transforms the jersey into a canvas of aspiration, carrying the voices of girls onto one of cricket’s biggest stages.
Commenting on the association, Safeena Husain, Founder and Board Member, Educate Girls, said:
“When girls see their dreams reflected on a platform as powerful as the WPL, it sends a strong message that their voices and aspirations matter. This partnership with UP Warriorz helps reframe education as a lifelong promise, not a one-time event, and shows that with flexible, accessible, second-chance programmes, learning can begin, pause, and restart at any stage of a girl’s life.”
Cricket Beyond the Boundary
Through this special match, the UP Warriorz reaffirm their commitment to using sport as a force for meaningful social change, ensuring that as women’s cricket continues to grow, its impact also extends far beyond the boundary ropes.