Cricket West Indies has been in a financial turmoil for long. It is something that has hampered their cricket and caused several tiffs between the players and the West Indies cricket board. Things have gotten slightly better over the years but Cricket West Indies are far from attaining an ideal financial stability, due to which cricket at the grassroot level in the Caribbean is suffering.
To help improve the situation, former West Indies pacer Winston Benjamin has reached out to cricket icons in India, hoping for some help. For Benjamin, the donations he is looking for need not be monetary; in fact, he is content with something as basic as cricket bats or other equipment which he can help distribute to budding players in the country. With the IPL providing an abundance of financial support to so many cricketers across the world, Benjamin is hoping for only the bare minimum.
"Previously, we used to have a tournament in Sharjah where it used to be like a benefit game for players from different countries. I don't want benefit. All I want is for somebody to say 'here is some equipment' – 10-15 bats, that is good enough for me. I don't want 20000 US dollars. I just want some equipment so that I can give back to youngsters. That's all I am asking," Benjamin said in a video shared by veteran sports journalist Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel.
Benjamin, who played 21 Tests and 85 ODIs for West Indies between 1986 and 1995 and picked up 161 wickets, had a request for the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, and thanked former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin for his help not too long ago.
{{/usCountry}}Benjamin, who played 21 Tests and 85 ODIs for West Indies between 1986 and 1995 and picked up 161 wickets, had a request for the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, and thanked former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin for his help not too long ago.
{{/usCountry}}"Mr. Tendulkar… if you are in a position, could you assist me? Hit me up," he said while sharing his phone number," he said. "I would like to thank my good friend Mohammad Azharuddin. He sent me some equipment over. Azhar, congratulations! And thank you so much for that assistance. Stay in touch. Anyone else who wants to contribute, feel free."