T20 World Cup 2021: SLC Directs Sri Lankan Team 'Not' To Take The Knee In Support Of BLM Movement
T20 World Cup 2021: SLC Directs Sri Lankan Team 'Not' To Take The Knee In Support Of BLM Movement

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has informed the Sri Lankan team not to take the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021

The gesture of taking a knee to showcase the support towards the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, has become widely popular in sports and now it has started entering cricket as well.

Quinton de Kock, South Africa
Quinton de Kock. Image-Twitter.

Recently a controversy arose after Cricket South Africa (CSA) informed all the players to take the knee. The wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock refused to take a knee ahead of the clash against West Indies and made him unavailable for selection citing “personal reasons”.

All players had been required, in line with a directive of the CSA Board on Monday evening, to “take the knee” in a united and consistent stance against racism. This is also the global gesture against racism that has been adopted by sportspeople across sporting codes because they recognise the power of sport to bring people together,” read the statement.

It Has Been A Long-Standing Position Of Sri Lanka Cricket That The Players Don’t Participate In This Gesture – SLC Official

Sri Lanka National Cricket Team
Image Source: Twitter

Sri Lanka is placed in the Group 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and from the group West Indies, South Africa, England and Australia all take the knee during the World Cup games.

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The SLC official said that the Sri Lanka cricketers will not be following the controversial gesture in the World Cup and even after the mega event ends.

It has been a long standing position of SLC that the players don’t participate in this gesture, and they have honoured that directive to date,” an SLC official told the Daily Mirror. 

We expect that the players will continue honour that even beyond the World Cup,” Official said

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka. (Photo: Twitter)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has allowed players to take the knee if they want to. However, it has not been made mandatory.

Also Read: AUS vs SL: Sri Lanka’s Predicted Playing XI Against Australia – ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Match 22

Sonanchal Gautam is the Assistant Content Manager at Cricketaddictor. He is a professional Wrestling and Hip-hop enthusiast.