Top 10 Teams Country Profiles

World Cricket Cup 2007

Australia

  • Estimated Population20.1 million
  • Number of people living with HIV16,000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rateLess than 0.1%
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV16,000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIVLess than 1,000
  • Deaths due to AIDSLess than 500
  • New HIV diagnoses peaked at over 1,000 annually in the late-1980s and early-1990s, and then declined to between 500 and 600 at the turn of the century. This decline in incidence is projected to continue.
  • It is estimated that 53% of the people living with HIV in Australiain 2004 were receiving antiretroviral therapy.
  • In addition to leading his team to seek a repeat of 2003 and hopefully another world cup victory, Australian Captain Ricky Ponting has also joined the partnership of ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser to “Unite For Children, Unite Against Aids” by lending his voice.

In a recent interview he said, “As a captain of a cricket team, we travel around the world so much, we get to know more about different cultures and experience different conditions and different life styles. Preferably we can all have the same idea on how we are going to prevent this disease [AIDS] around the world. I think it’s up to all the captains of the all the countries where we travel to push the same idea across to every young person with whom they come in contact. If we do that I am sure we can plan the best path we possibly can.

My message to my fans about AIDS would be to actually take the time to learn more and more about it. Obviously, for any shocking disease, prevention is better than cure. So learn about it. Learn as much as about it as you possibly can and I am sure this can help to prevent this disease. Unite for Children, unite against Aids.”[1]

  • In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2005, Australiajoined the Indian, English, New Zealand and Pakistani teams and wore red ribbons during their matches as a sign of solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS.[2]

Bangladesh

  • Estimated population141.8 million
  • Number of people living with HIV11,000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rateLess than 0.1%
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV11,000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV 1,400
  • Deaths due to AIDS Less than 500[3]
  • Estimated No. of HIV-infected pregnant womenin 2005Less than 200[4][leo1]
  • Mashrafe Mortaza is in the vanguard of a whole legion of young quick bowlers from Bangladesh. He has

often been sidelined due to injury but it's to his credit that after each lay-off he comes back better than before.

The kind of determination that Mortaza has shown in successfully returning from his many setbacks has also been shown in his support for the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser partnership in their campaign "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids."

His message to children and young adults is direct and to the point, just like one of his deliveries in fact, "80% of young people still don't know how to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS so I'm here to tell you how. A. Abstain, B. Be Faithful, C. Use Condoms.”

At the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, Mortaza will be a spearhead not only of the Bangladeshi attack but also of the campaign to "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids."[5]

England (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)

  • Estimated population59.6 million
  • Number of people living with HIV68, 000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate0.2 %
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV67, 000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV21, 000
  • Deaths due to AIDSLess than 1,000
  • Annual, new HIV diagnoses in the UK have doubled since 2000, exceeding 7,200 in 2004 and reaching 7,700 in 2005
  • The epidemic is focused to a considerable extent in London where almost half (43%) of new diagnoses were made in 2005.
  • Persons infected in sub-Saharan Africa are now the group most-affected by HIV in the United Kingdom.
  • Research in the Midlands and southern England suggests that stigma and fear of discrimination discourage a large proportion of Africans in the United Kingdom from testing forHIV.
  • About one third of persons with HIV do not know that they have been infected.
  • Andrew Strauss is a sportsman who knows a lot about leadership and the value of taking responsibility.He has captained his county side in England, Middlesex as well as the national team itself so it came as no surprise that this enthusiastic competitor was keen to lend his voice to the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser partnership in their campaign to "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids"

"HIV is affecting children in so many ways...... up to 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS and obviously a lot of children are born with AIDS from their mother's carrying them and it's a big problem...."

"I think education is a massive part of it. Getting people to protect themselves properly, reducing discrimination...... it's something that needs to build momentum and then the more momentum it has, the more people will be aware of how they can help reverse the trend and the better it'll be not only for the cricket playing nations but also for all those places that we don't get to visit."

Injuries permitting Andrew Strauss will be a crucial component of England's challenge in the upcoming World Cup in the West Indies and you can be sure that as well as trying to help his side to victory, this dynamic individual will also be doing as much as he can to further the message of "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids."[6]

  • In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2005, England joined the Indian, Pakistani, New Zealand and Australian teams and wore red ribbons during their matches as a sign of solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS.[7]
  • On 1 December 2005 in Lucknow,India, English and Indian women cricketers wore red ribbons during their match.[8]

India

  • Estimated Population:1.1 billion
  • The highest national HIV infection levels in Asia continue to be found in South-East Asia.[9]
  • Number of people living with HIV5, 700 000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate0.9 %
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV5, 600 000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV1, 600 000
  • Estimated Number of HIV-infected pregnant women in 2005130,000[10]
  • Number of HIV-infected pregnant women received antiretroviral

treatment for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in 20052,279[11]

  • Number of pregnant women counselled on PMTCT in 2005891,912[12]
  • Number of children aged 0-14 years old who received ART in 20051,300[13]
  • In 2005 women accounted for 38% of new infections: a trend with serious implications as more HIV positive mothers will unknowingly pass the virus on to their children.[14]
  • In 2006 17% of young men and 21% of young women aged 15-24 hada comprehensive knowledge of HIV.[15]
  • By 2006 59% of young men and 51 percent of young women aged 15-24 had used a condom at their last high-risk sexual encounter.[16]
  • Rahul Dravid is the captain of India and maybe the finest number three batsman that that the cricket mad nation has ever produced. He is also a deep thinker and analyst about the game as a whole. He has brought his considerable intellectual gifts to support the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and Kaiser partnership in their campaign "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids"

At the recent ICC Championship in his own country he said, "Unfortunately HIV positive people do face a lot of stigma and discrimination whether it's in their families, whether it's in their workplace, whether it's in society and that's disappointing. I think people with HIV need to be made to feel a part of society and that comes down to knowledge. I think people need to be made aware of the disease and help to assimilate the people with HIV into society and not to be discriminated against or made to feel outcasts."

Dravid then added his own perspective, "Cricket is played in countries where AIDS is often at its strongest. It's played in countries where people are at maximum risk. We have a window of opportunity as cricketers with the kind of following that we have to get people to be aware, to get people to understand the disease, to get people to know more about AIDS. I think if we can remove the ignorance and get people more interested in a cause like this it'll go a long way to eradicating AIDS.".

As Indian captain he'll be hoping for more success in the West Indies in the World Cup after he recently led his team to a first series victory there since 1970-71 but he'll also be directing his considerable energies towards building awareness of the campaign "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids." [17]

  • When a young man living with HIV was invited to toss the coin during the historic 2004 Test series between India and Pakistan in Pakistan, the captains of both sides accompanied him out to the middle of the pitch. It may seem like the smallest of gestures but in a society where the stigma attached to the illness is huge it was a massive step forward in the understanding and acceptance of HIV and AIDS.[18]
  • In commemoration of World AIDS Day 2005, Indiajoined the Pakistani, English, New Zealand and Australian teams and wore red ribbons during their matches as a sign of solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS.[19]

New Zealand

  • Estimated population4 million
  • New HIV diagnoses in New Zealand reached a high of 218 in 2005, the highest number since testing began in 1985.[20]
  • Number of people living with HIV1,400
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate0.1%
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV1,400
  • New HIV diagnosis reached a high of 218 in 2005, the highest number since testing began in 1985.[21]
  • Unsafe sex between men accounted for a little more than one half (51%) and heterosexual intercourse for more than one third (37%) of new HIV diagnoses in 2005. In the latter instance, the vast majority (possibly as much as 90%) of HIV infections were acquired outside New Zealand.[22]
  • Improved antiretroviral treatment has reduced AIDS deaths from more than 30 per year in 1996–1997 to fewer than 10 per year in 2005.[23]
  • Daniel Vettori's professorial demeanour isn't simply down to the fact that he wears spectacles on the cricket ground. As New Zealand's leading spin bowler he is one of the most considered thinkers on the complex game that is cricket. However, Vettori's horizons stretch far beyond the boundaries of the cricket pitch and this is why he has joined the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser partnership and lent his voice toUnite for Children, Unite against Aids.

In a recent interview he said, "I think it's an important cause especially in parts of the world where cricket is played and where HIV is prevalent. It's catastrophic to see the ways in which it has infiltrated into people's lives." He also echoed what many sportspeople have said, "If we as cricketers can help enlighten the cause a little bit then we're glad to."

Vettori has been a vital figure to New Zealand cricket for over a decade and observers will expect his contribution to be a significant one in the up-coming World Cup in the West Indies. He will be hoping to spin New Zealand to victory but he'll also be delivering a vital message, Unite for Children, Unite against Aids.[24]

  • As part of the commemorations for World AIDS Day 2005, New Zealand joined the Pakistani, Indian, English and Australian teams and wore red ribbons during their matches as a sign of solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS.[25]


Pakistan

  • Estimated Population157.9 million
  • Number of people living with HIV85,000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate0.1%
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV84, 000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV14, 000
  • Deaths due to AIDS3,000
  • High HIV infection levels among groups of injecting drug users could cross over into other populations,.[26]
  • Low rates of HIV infection- less than 1%--have been found among Female Sex Workers.
  • A 2005 study has confirmed that HIV transmission is occurring within the sexual networks of male and eunuch sex workers in Karachi. The study found 7% of the male sex workers and 2% of the eunuchs were HIV-infected. In another study in Karachi, 4% of male sex workers and 2% of Eunuchs tested positive.[27]
  • Younis Khan is a Pakistani batsman full of extravagance and thrilling strokeplay and he accumulates his runs with a mixture of fearlessness and application. After an early career in and out of the Pakistani side due to peaks and troughs in form, Khan has now established himself as a future captain in waiting.

This smiling, effervescent and sincere character was only too happy to get involved in the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser partnership in their campaign "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids."

At the recent ICC Championship in India Khan sent a heartfelt message to those people and their families affected by HIV/AIDS, "HIV/AIDS affects all people but especially children...... in particular for poor children when they lose their parents it is very hard for them..so my message to my fans is to please take care of yourselves and please think of your children".

"These people are human beings. Don't forget them....we must care about them and protect them. It's a big world but please don't forget them."

Younis Khan is a player of boundless energy and invention and he'll be taking the message of "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids" to the World Cup in the West Indies this year with all his typical enthusiasm.[28]

  • When a young man living with HIV was invited to toss the coin during the historic 2004 Test series between India and Pakistan in Pakistan, the captains of both sides accompanied him out to the middle of the pitch. It may seem like the smallest of gestures but in a society where the stigma attached to the illness is huge it was a massive step forward in the understanding and acceptance of HIV and AIDS.[29]


South Africa

  • Estimated population47.4 million
  • Number of people living with HIV5.5 million
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate18.8%
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV5.3 million
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV3.1 million
  • Deaths due to AIDS320,000
  • Number of HIV-infected pregnant women by2005250,000[30]
  • Number of pregnant women counselled on PMTCT services by2005513,401[31]
  • Number of infants born to HIV-infected women started on

Prophylaxis treatment in 200564,291[32]

  • Number of children 0-14 receiving ART in 200512,247[33]
  • Children aged 0 to 14 living with HIV by 2005240, 000[34]
  • Orphans aged 0 to 17 due to AIDS by 20051,200,000[35]
  • Number of children living with HIV in need of ART, 200567,000
  • HIV prevalence among young men aged 15-24 by 20055%
  • HIV prevalence among young women aged 15-24 by 200515%
  • Makhaya Ntini is a specialist South African fast bowler who spent his childhood in the Eastern Cape as a cattleherd who went on to become the first black African cricketer to play for South Africa. Now as one of the game's leading performers with the ball it can truly be said that he's seen both sides of life in his home country. Because of his background and because of the huge challenges facing South Africa in the fight against AIDS Makhaya Ntini was very keen to add his influence to the ICC, UNICEF, UNAIDS and Kaiser partnership in their campaign to "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids."

He said in a recent interview, "HIV is affecting children so much in South Africa. There are children living in the street because they don't have any parents and they don't have any place to go. This is one of the things that we are struggling with and it's because of HIV." Later adding, "We know that every minute of every day children are dying of HIV and Aids. We can't let this happen to our children...... "

Whilst not possessing the express pace of a Brett Lee or a Shoaib Akhtar, Makhaya Ntini instead modelled himself on the great West Indian pace bowler Malcolm Marshall. Like his hero he has a nagging, relentless line and a 'never-say-die' attitude. This has served him well as a sportsman and now equally well on behalf of the "Unite for Children, Unite against Aids" campaign.[36]

  • Fourteen HIV positive Indianchildren aged 9-13 years from different states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and West Bengal participated in an interesting interaction with the South African cricketers, Shaun Pollock, AB De Villiers, Andrew Hall and Jonty Rhodes. The players took time off their busy schedule to visit these children, who prior to the meeting had put their thoughts together in the form of drawings about their home, family, parents, school and their dreams. They freely exchanged their stories with the cricketers and talked to them about their dreams.

Touched by these children, Shaun Pollock, a senior South African cricketer and one of the ICC’s Spirit of Cricket Ambassadors, said, “We can never measure the impact we may have, but I am sure if we can change the mindsets of even 10 people, we have done our bit. While people are getting educated and understanding the cause better these days, we are sure it gives people more confidence in dealing with HIV patients when they see us interacting, touching, hugging or playing with them”.

After the one-on-one interaction, South African Cricketers went out in the open and played cricket with the children. Dressed in their best, children enjoyed playing cricket with their heroes.[37]

Sri Lanka

  • Estimated population20.7 million
  • Number of people living with HIV by 20055,000
  • Adults aged 15 to 49 HIV prevalence rate by 2005Less than 0.1 %
  • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV by 20055,000
  • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV by 2005Less than 1000
  • Number of HIV-infected pregnant women, 2005Less than 100
  • Deaths due to AIDS by 2005Less than 500