Watch: Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara joins Kumar Sangakkara to back Rajasthan Royals' women’s empowerment initiative

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 2, 2025, 16:20 IST

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Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara joined Rajasthan Royals to support women's empowerment in Rajasthan. The Royal Rajasthan Foundation spearheads this Pink Promise initiative. Lekhara exchanged jerseys with team members at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. However, Rajasthan Royals faced a defeat against Mumbai Indians in the Pink Promise Match. Mumbai Indians scored 217/2, while Rajasthan Royals collapsed for 117 runs.

Watch: Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara joins Kumar Sangakkara to back Rajasthan Royals' women’s empowerment initiative

Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara meets Kumar Sangakkara (Screengrabs)

NEW DELHI: Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara, a standout performer at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games with two gold and one bronze medal, joined forces with Rajasthan Royals on Thursday as part of their Pink Promise initiative.
This partnership is aimed at advancing women’s empowerment in rural communities across Rajasthan.
Lekhara's appearance at the event in Jaipur symbolised both her individual triumphs and her commitment to driving social change, as she exchanged a jersey with members of the Royals’ team in a gesture of solidarity and support.
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Kumar Sangakkara, Director of Cricket for Rajasthan Royals, praised Lekhara’s presence, expressing gratitude for her role in spotlighting the cause: “Thank you very much for coming and supporting as well.”
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The initiative is being spearheaded by the Royal Rajasthan Foundation (RRF), the franchise’s CSR wing, which has been advocating for female-led development in the state.
As part of its broader outreach, the foundation had previously launched the campaign film Aurat Hai Toh Bharat Hai on International Women's Day, echoing the same message of gender equity and grassroots empowerment.
The symbolic celebration took place during the Pink Promise Match against Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
Despite the off-field optimism, Rajasthan Royals suffered a heavy defeat on the pitch.

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Mumbai Indians delivered a dominant performance, posting a massive 217/2 thanks to solid knocks from Rohit Sharma (53), Ryan Rickelton (61), and late fireworks from Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav (both scoring 48 off 23 balls).
Rajasthan Royals collapsed under pressure, folding for just 117 runs in 16.1 overs. Jasprit Bumrah (2/15), Trent Boult (3/28), and Karn Sharma (3/23) led Mumbai’s charge, sealing a 100-run win that ended RR’s hopes of making the playoffs.
Young RR talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi was dismissed for a duck by Deepak Chahar, rounding off a tough night for the home side.

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TOI Sports Desk

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