West Indies players to wear ‘Black Lives Matter’ logo on jerseys

MANCHESTER: West Indies players will wear a ‘Black Lives Matter’ emblem on the collars of their shirts during the Test series against England to show solidarity and help raise awareness regarding equality.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given permission to use the logo embedded on the shirts of all 20 Premier League football clubs since the sport`s restart earlier this month.

The move comes after the death of African-American George Floyd in US police custody last month. The logo, which has a clenched fist in place of the letter ‘A’ in the word “Black”, was designed by Watford striker Troy Deeney’s partner Alisha Hosannah.

“We believe we have a duty to show solidarity and also to help raise awareness,” said skipper Jason Holder. “This is a pivotal moment in history for sports, for the game of cricket and for the West Indies cricket team. We have come to England to retain the Wisden Trophy but we are very conscious of happenings around the world and the fight for justice and equality,” he added.

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West Indies captain Jason Holder said the team remained focused on winning the series but that there were bigger issues to address. He said sportsmen and women could influence opinion and be a force for change.

“As a group of young men, we know of the rich and diverse history of West Indies cricket and we know we are guardians of the great game for the generation to come. We did not take our decision lightly. We know what it is for people to make judgments because of the colour of our skin, so we know what it feels like, this goes beyond the boundary. There must be equality and there must be unity. Until we get that as people, we cannot stop,” he added.

A three-match Test series between England and West Indies will mark cricket resumption next month. The first Test between both the teams will begin on July 8.