The Mall, usually associated with royal processions and public celebrations, hosted a game of tennis-ball cricket as Prince William picked up a bat and faced deliveries from GangulyBritain’s Prince William transformed The Mall, the iconic road leading to Buckingham Palace, into a temporary cricket pitch on Tuesday, joining several current and former international cricketers for an informal game ahead of the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony.Former India captain Sourav Ganguly and cricketer Ajinkya Rahane were among the prominent names at the event, alongside West Indies batting great Brian Lara and England stars Joe Root and Harry Brook.The Mall, usually associated with royal processions and public celebrations, hosted a game of tennis-ball cricket as Prince William picked up a bat and faced deliveries from Ganguly. Dressed in a shirt and sweater, the Prince played a few shots and posed for selfies with spectators.Watch here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Juggernaut™ (@_thejuggernaut)Also Read | Zohran Mamdani’s festive message celebrates Navratri’s many traditionsThe video has since gone viral, prompting a wave of reactions. “Prince William is super lucky he got to meet and play with the Prince of Kolkata,” a user wrote. “Andrew meeting the King of Trinidad and the Prince of Calcutta,” another user commented.“Never imagined Buckingham Palace would ever see “Gully cricket”,” a third user reacted.Asked to assess William’s batting skills, Ganguly offered a brief but encouraging verdict. “He batted alright,” USA Today quoted the former India captain.Rahane later shared his experience in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, describing the opportunity to play cricket on The Mall with Buckingham Palace in the background as a memorable moment.“Cricket has taken me to some remarkable venues across the world, but playing tennis-ball cricket right on The Mall in London with Buckingham Palace in the backdrop is an experience that will stay with me for a long time,” Rahane wrote.Story continues below this adHe also described meeting Prince William and reconnecting with several cricketing icons as a privilege, naming Ganguly, Lara, Root and Brook among those who participated.Prince William is scheduled to travel to India in November for the Earthshot Prize ceremony, which will be held in Mumbai. The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize awarded to five winners each year for their contributions to environmentalism. Kensington Palace has yet to confirm whether his wife, Princess Kate, will accompany him, according to USA Today.