Sydney, Oct 25 (IANS) Sydney Thunder’s players will be taking a knee in support of a global stance against racism at all games of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) which started on Sunday.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on the morning of their opening match of WBBL 6 against Sydney Sixers which was abandoned without a bowl being bowled at the North Sydney Oval.
As per an ESPNcricinfo report, all teams have committed to perform the Indigenous Barefoot Circle ceremony ahead of matches during the tournament, but the decision over whether to take the knee in support of Black Lives Matter was left to individual clubs.
Thunder captain Rachael Haynes said it was a unanimous decision to make the gesture before the first ball of a match is bowled.
“Essentially, the players have indicated they want us to take a knee in support of the stance against racism,” said Haynes.
“This is a tournament that attracts international players and is viewed all over the world, and we want to show we’re absolutely committed in our stance against racism,” she added.
Recently, South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, who is currently playing for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), stated that sportspersons should spread the message of racial equality.
“It is important for people not to feel inferior. Liberation of mind is the most important thing. I think this is the message you want to spread especially as a sportsman when you do have a platform to express this. Lot of people follow what you do, because that is the nature of sportsman — there’s nothing different if I compare myself with every other person who hasn’t played cricket — but I am on a stage where people can now listen to me,” Rabada had told reporters during an interaction from the United Arab Emirates.
Sportspersons have been coming out in open and speaking more about racism since the death of African-American George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police personnel in May this year.
–IANS
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