When Dreams Take the Field: 1700 OSCAR Foundation Children Experience an IPL Match Live

On ESA Day (Education and Sports for All), something extraordinary happened. For 1700 children from the OSCAR Foundation, April 2025 wasn’t just about another school day or football practice — it was about stepping into a world many had only imagined.

Thanks to the Reliance Foundation, these young dreamers got the once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the adrenaline, color, and magic of a live IPL match — Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow SuperGiants — from the iconic stands of the Wankhede Stadium.

For many of these children, it was their first visit to a stadium of any kind. A few didn’t even know the name of the ground. Some assumed all cricket matches took place at the same venue. But the moment they walked into Wankhede, eyes wide with wonder, the scale and spectacle of professional sport hit them — and something shifted.

What followed was an evening filled with unfiltered joy:

  • Gasps of amazement as they looked around the colossal stadium.
  • Uncontainable excitement when Rohit Sharma walked out to bat — the crowd erupting in unison, voices echoing across the sea of blue.
  • Endless chants of “Mumbai! Mumbai!”, as the children joined in, soaking up every second.

It wasn’t just a match. It was magic.
It wasn’t just entertainment. It was empowerment.

At OSCAR Foundation, we believe that sport is more than play — it’s a tool for social transformation. For children growing up in underserved communities, opportunities like these do more than entertain. They inspire. They expand horizons.

When a child walks into a stadium filled with tens of thousands of people cheering, when they see their idols live in action, it sends a powerful message: “I belong here too. I can dream big too.”

Moments like these have the power to ignite ambition, build confidence, and plant the seeds of new possibilities. And for some, this may be the start of a lifelong love for sports — as players, fans, or even future professionals in sports management, media, or coaching.

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