The long conflict between the Windies Cricket Board (WICB) and the cricketers seem to have found a new issue. The players have a complaint about being denied an opportunity to help the people of Caribbean.
Windies professionals like Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy have slammed the Board for their omission for the charity match between the Windies and ICC’s Rest of the World XI.
Both the players were in the Windies squad which won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2012 and 2016 respectively.
The conflict between the players and Board has been continuing since the 2016 T20 World Cup. Both players and the members of the Carribean Board have never backed out of expressing their issues with each other.
The Charity match will see the Windies go up against the ICC Rest of the World XI at Lord’s on May 31.
The match is bound to raise funds for five cricket grounds that were damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria.
These grounds are listed as James Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla, Dominica’s Windsor Park Stadium, Sir Viv Richards Stadium in Antigua, A.O. Shirley Recreation Ground in the British Virgin Islands and Carib Lumber Ball Park in St Maarten.
However, these senior West Indian players have expressed their anger for being omitted from the squad.
Bravo said, “We were denied the opportunity to be a part of something to help Caribbean people in a charity game we wanted to play in and were looking forward to being a part of. We weren’t contacted or selected, so we just want people to know that we were fully available for the game and are seeking answers behind our non-selection.”
Dwayne Bravo also asked for the bank details of CWI, so that, he can make his contribution towards the cause.
“They’ve given the public the false impressions we don’t want to play in the World Cup qualifiers because we went to play for money, but now we’re available for free for a good cause and they don’t pick us. Caribbean people need to know the truth. What we will do also is to ask CWI to provide bank account details, so we the players who are not part of the game. Can still make a contribution towards it,” Bravo stated.
Darren Sammy, on the other hand, added that this was the best opportunity to reunite the World Cup winning squad for the one last time.
“What better chance could the board want to engage players?They could have swallowed their ego and pride and brought the World-Cup-winning side together, even if it’s one last time. I have personally done fund raisers, sent food and water supplies to Dominica, played and helped organise a previous charity game in Trinidad. I was looking forward to this game,” Sammy concluded.
Also, read: Karthik, Hardik Inducted in World XI Squad Against Windies at Lord’s
