England players to sport 'Black Lives Matter' logo on their shirt collars against West Indies

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Thursday that the England Test side will be wearing a ‘Black Lives Matter’ logo on their jerseys during their Test series against West Indies. Hosts England are scheduled to face West Indies for a three-match Test series starting from July 8 at Ageas Bowl, Southampton.

The West Indies tour of England will mark the comeback of the game of cricket after a span of four months. No cricket has been played anywhere in the world from the month of March due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The decision of wearing the ‘Black Lives Matter’ logo on their jerseys received support from both captain Joe Root and vice-captain Ben Stokes of the England Test team. Slipper Joe Root said that the upcoming Test series with the Caribbean side would be a great platform to raise awareness about the ‘Black Lives Matter’.

The decision by the ECB of showing solidarity to the black community came after the West Indies side announced that they would be wearing ‘Black Lives Matter’ logos on their playing jerseys.

England Men's Test squad will join the West Indies side to carry the Black Lives Matter logo on shirt collars during the three-match #raisethebat Test Series.

— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) July 2, 2020

There is no place for racism in our society or sport: ECB

“The England and Wales Cricket Board fully supports the message that Black Lives Matter. It has become a message of solidarity and a drive for progress and societal change. There can be no place for racism in society or our sport, and we must do more to tackle it,” the Chief Executive Officer of ECB, Tom Harrison, was quoted in an official statement.

“Our support of that message is not an endorsement, tacit or otherwise, of any political organisation, nor the backing of any group that calls for violence or condones illegal activity. We are aware of certain aspects of the movement that promote their own political views, and their actions are not supported in any way by the ECB and our players,” he further added.

The emblem of Black Lives Matter has been designed by Alisha Hosannah, the partner of Troy Deeney, professional footballer and captain of Premier League side Watford Football Club. ECB and CWI contacted him after taking the required permissions from ICC to display the logo on the playing jerseys.

Hosts’ skipper Root also said that every person in the world should get equal opportunities and rights. Root added that the England team is unified in this approach of showing solidarity to the black community.

“It is important to show solidarity to the black community and to raise much-needed awareness around the topics of equality and justice. The England players and management are unified in this approach and will use the platform of international cricket to fully support the objective of eradicating racial prejudice wherever it exists,” said Root.