The series had its ups and downs before paving way for an exciting finish
And, breathe! Phew, what a ride!
Following a closely contested final between the India Legends and the Sri Lanka Legends on Sunday, India Legends crowned themselves as the champions of the first season of the Unacademy Road Safety World Series.
We had to wait a long time to complete the first season of the tournament but by the end of it, we can definitely say it was worth the wait! The response from the fans in Raipur, the eagerness of the players to play with the motive of creating road safety awareness, the effort taken by the groundsmen, and all the work that went on at the back – they were all solid proof that we all know how to bounce back no matter how situations knock us down.
There had been lockdowns, curfews and, well, there was just a lot going on. Season one did start in March 2020, but finished a year later, on 21st March, 2021. And it probably was for the best. It was a testament to the fact of how much each member in this tournament, right from the players to the support staff, was committed to the cause. Each and every one of us was stubbornly determined to pull this off in an even more challenging situation.
The success of our inaugural season could be attributed to the fun the players have had, too. Monty Panesar singing Bollywood songs? Check. Tino Best openly saying that he relishes in batsmen managing to hit him for runs? Check. Russell Arnold being everyone’s favourite Russell Arnold? Check! Stadiums reverberating with the chants of “SACHINNNN… SACHIN!!!” CHECK!!! The fans have loved the way the Unacademy Road Safety World Series has brought retired players together off the pitch, sharing some great stories with everyone.
The fans turned up in decent numbers too, despite the number of restrictions this time and we’ll be looking forward to seeing huge numbers whenever it is safe to have them again.
And lastly and most importantly, the cause. The pillar on which all of this was built. Countless lives are still being taken on roads and spreading awareness about the cause of road safety is at the top of our priority list. We know that we have reached a great number of people through this series, but there is still a lot to do and still many lives to be possibly saved.
We hope you will continue being with us on this long journey. It won’t be a walk in the park, reaching every corner of the world to spread awareness, but where’s the fun in anything being easy?
We hope you stick by us just like this time, too. Because, just like Helen Keller once said – together, we can do so much more!
