London: Former India captains Sourav Ganguly and Ajinkya Rahane joined Britain's Prince William for a friendly tennis-ball cricket match outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, as part of the build-up to the 2026 Earthshot Prize awards, scheduled to be held in Mumbai next month.

The match took place on The Mall, the ceremonial avenue leading to the royal residence, bringing together cricketing stars from India, England and the West Indies. West Indies great Brian Lara, England's Joe Root and Harry Brook, and former England fast bowler James Anderson were among those who participated in the event.

Prince William, who founded the Earthshot Prize in 2020, tried both batting and bowling during the informal game. He faced deliveries from Ganguly and Brook, eventually connecting with a shot that sailed over the heads of players from the grassroots cricket group Backyard Cricket.

Lara offered a light-hearted assessment of the prince's performance, suggesting he could fit into the middle order of a cricket team, although his bowling needed improvement. Root described the experience of playing against the backdrop of Buckingham Palace as a privilege.

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The event aimed to celebrate the cricketing links between Britain and India ahead of the Earthshot Prize's first edition in India. Mumbai will host the ceremony in November, with five winners set to receive £1 million each to scale up innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

Founded by Prince William, the initiative seeks to accelerate efforts to protect nature, clean the air, revive oceans, reduce waste and tackle climate change.