St John’s Antigua – The West Indies Cricket Board offers its support to the people of Pakistan as the country battles to recover from floods which have caused death, destruction to homes and property, and have left millions of people without shelter and other basic needs.
Dr Julian Hunte, President of the WICB, in a message to the Pakistan Cricket Board yesterday, offered support and sympathy to the people of the Asian nation during this very challenging period.
Dr. Hunte said: “We feel hurt as we have watched on television and followed on the internet, the magnitude of the destruction and devastation caused to the people of Pakistan, by the recent floods. As a member of the international cricket fraternity, we in the West Indies are very concerned about the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan following what has been a massive humanitarian tragedy. The WICB and the PCB have had a long and fruitful relationship for many years and we want to assure them than they have our full support in this dark time.”
Dr Hunte added: “In an effort to see how best we can assist, the WICB will contact the PCB hierarchy to examine how we can work together. The Pakistani cricketers are due to visit the West Indies next year for a full tour, under the ICC Future Tours Programme, so this visit will offer an opportunity to assist in a meaningful way. Cricket is a global game which bridges many gaps and forges great friendships and we at the WICB extend a hand of comfort to our friends in Pakistan.”
Official reports indicate that more than 14 million people have so far been affected by the flooding, which began late last month in the wake of heavy monsoon rains. As many as 1500 deaths have been reported.