New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has decided to continue New Zealand's overt support to the Black Lives Matter movement by confirming that his team will take a knee at the start of the Test series between his side and West Indies. The first Test begins at Hamilton on December 3.
Both teams had taken a knee during the T20I series between the two teams which concluded recently. Williamson expressed his reasoning behind the decision to continue the symbolic protest during the Test series.
"Jason and I caught up. (We are) looking to continue what was done during the T20s and try to continue that awareness around the BLM movement and also the 'Give Nothing To Racism' campaign that New Zealand Cricket are right behind as well... So that will be continued on the first day of each Test match," the Kiwi captain said on the eve of the first Test.
The Windies captain Jason Holder was delighted with Williamson for his gesture and profusely praised the cricketers of the New Zealand team.
"It just shows the kind of individuals that New Zealand cricket has. Kane came openly to me and we sat down and had a really good chat around it. It was just mainly him hearing our side of it. Really happy with his support…and New Zealand Cricket have started a campaign too, which is really good."
The kneeling gesture had its origin in United States of America where some African-American sportspersons decided to express their opposition to racial inequality, especially the alleged excesses by police against members of the Black community, by kneeling during the national anthem of the country.
After the infamous killing of George Floyd earlier this year, the Black Lives Matter movement gained worldwide support. The act of kneeling made its appearance in the cricket world at the start of the first Test between England and West Indies some months ago. Players of both West Indies and England had taken the knee on that occassion.
Later in the season, when Australian team toured England and avoided taking a knee, their decision was criticised by former West Indies cricketer and leading commentator Michael Holding.
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