ICC T20 World Cup 2021: Virat Kohli explained why Team Indian players went down on their knees before their Super 12 game against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday evening.
Indian players kneeled while Pakistani cricketers held their right hand on their hearts for a minute before the game (Reuters Photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Taking a knee to promote racial equality has become a common gesture in the world of sports
- Indian players knelt and Pakistani cricketers kept a hand on their hearts ahead of their T20 World Cup opener
- Players from the West Indies and England also kneeled down before their T20 World Cup game on Saturday
India’s captain Virat Kohli announced on Monday that the team management has asked the players to kneel before their ICC T20 World Cup kick-off on Sunday to show their support in the fight against racism.
Indian players kneeled down while the Pakistani cricketer held a hand to his heart just before their Super 12 game began in Dubai. Kohli later stated that he and his teammates participated in the gesture after Babar Azam’s team agreed to “pay tribute to the same cause”.
Taking a knee or raising a fist to support racial equality has become a common gesture in the world of sports since the Black Lives Movement grew in strength after the death of African American George Floyd Minneapolis in May last year.
Notably, Team India went on their knees during their home series against England earlier this year as players stressed the need to take a stand against racial discrimination.
“This was communicated to us by the management. The Pakistani team agreed to pay tribute to the same cause and then we accepted our side of things. Yes, that’s how it was decided, ”said Kohli, explaining the gesture after the game on Sunday evening, which India lost with 10 wickets.
The blockbuster match between India and Pakistan was the second game of the ongoing T20 World Cup in which players kneeled before the first ball after the second game on Saturday between the West Indies and England. The gesture was cheered by the fans.
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