Teams on the T20 World Cup have been taking the knee after the International Cricket Council (ICC) supplied them the chance to indicate their assist in opposition to racism and discrimination. The ICC didn’t challenge a directive on this regard, leaving it to respective cricket boards/staff administration as an alternative to resolve.
“After some teams expressed the desire to take the knee, the ICC offered all teams the opportunity to do so if they wished,” an ICC spokesperson informed The Indian Express.
Accordingly, India determined to take the knee earlier than the beginning of their match on Sunday, whereas Pakistan gamers had palms on coronary heart.
Before that, the Super 12 opener between England and West Indies noticed each groups take the knee. Australia and South Africa additionally did it earlier than their match opener in Abu Dhabi, though as an ICC media functionary confirmed from Sharjah, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh didn’t do it forward of their recreation on Sunday. At the identical venue on Monday, nevertheless, each Afghanistan and Scotland took the knee earlier than their recreation commenced.
As for the Indian staff, as soon as the BCCI authorized the gesture, the staff administration knowledgeable the gamers about it. So, as Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, the 2 openers took the knee contained in the taking part in space, the opposite gamers did it outdoors the boundary rope.
Bowled over by India’s gesture, former West Indies quick bowler Michael Holding, cricket’s face within the Black Lives Matter (BLM) motion, by means of his stirring message in opposition to racism on Sky Sports final 12 months, texted the Indian staff head coach Ravi Shastri to get the small print.
“I was glad to hear and actually messaged Ravi to confirm what took place,” Holding was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz. The 67-year-old Jamaican has additionally written a ebook – Why We Kneel How We Rise.
At the post-match press convention, India captain Virat Kohli confirmed that the gamers have been informed by the administration to take the knee. “That was communicated to us by the management. The Pakistan team agreed to pay their tribute towards the same cause, and then we accepted our side of things, as well. Yeah, that’s how it was decided,” he stated.
Taking the knee in sport is about displaying solidarity with the BLM motion. It’s apply has change into widespread in sport, particularly in soccer, since 2020 after the homicide of African-American George Floyd within the United States. Cricket, too, adopted go well with, ranging from the England versus West Indies Test collection final 12 months.
The ICC doesn’t permit gamers to show messages “relating to political, religious or racial activities”, however on the BLM motion, it determined to take a “common sense approach”.
“The ICC stands against racism and is proud of the diversity of our sport. We support players using their platform to appropriately express their support for a more equitable society,” the sport’s world physique had stated in an emailed assertion to Reuters in June final 12 months.
“We will exercise a common sense approach to the implementation of regulations in relation to this issue and they will be assessed on a case by case basis by the match officials,” it added.
The ICC additionally calls its Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket, launched in October 2012 and amended in August 2019, “to widen the discriminatory conduct”, as “one of the toughest in world sport”.
