Daren Sammy opens up on racism in the IPL

Former West Indies captain Daren Sammy has made staggering revelations of racism in the IPL.

The star all-rounder has claimed that he and Sri Lankan player Thisara Perera were both at the receiving end of racial jibes while playing cricket for the SRH franchise in India. Through his Instagram stories, Sammy revealed the nature of racist taunts both cricketers received during the IPL.

He stated that both the players were given the name 'Kalu', which they misinterpreted as 'Strong Stallion'. However, Sammy understood the meaning recently, and expressed utter disgust at the casual racism of the word, which originally means 'black'.

Sammy wrote:

"Oh so that’s what that meant when they called me and Thisara Perera Kalu in India when we played for Sunrisers. I just thought they were calling me strong black man… I’m more pissed now. I just learnt what that kalu meant when I played for Sunrisers in the IPL. They called me and Perera by that name. I thought it meant strong Stallion. My previous post tells me something different and I am angry.”

Recent Instagram stories of Daren Sammy

Recent Instagram stories of Daren Sammy

Sammy made his IPL debut for SRH, and also played for RCB and KXIP. In 22 IPL matches, he scored 295 runs and picked up 11 wickets.

Cricketing fraternity joins Daren Sammy in the fight against racism

Darren Sammy (centre) and Chris Gayle (right)

Recently, the death of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, has sparked tremendous protests not only in the United States of America but throughout the world.

The cricket fraternity, including Chris Gayle, has joined hands in the fight against racism. They have urged the ICC and fellow cricketers to speak up against the menace.

Right now if the cricket world not standing against the injustice against people of color after seeing that last video of that foot down the next of my brother you are also part of the problem.

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) June 1, 2020

. @ICC and all the other boards are you guys not seeing what’s happening to ppl like me? Are you not gonna speak against the social injustice against my kind. This is not only about America. This happens everyday #BlackLivesMatter now is not the time to be silent. I wanna hear u

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) June 2, 2020

For too long black people have suffered. I’m all the way in St Lucia and I’m frustrated If you see me as a teammate then you see #GeorgeFloyd Can you be part of the change by showing your support. #BlackLivesMatter

— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) June 2, 2020

Chris Gayle talked about how racism has prevailed in cricket for a long time now, and that this is the right time to take a stand against it.

On his Instagram stories, he wrote:

"Black lives matter just like any other life. Black people matter, p***k all racist people, stop taking black people for fools, even our own black people wise the p***k up and stop bringing down your own! I have travelled the globe and experience racial remarks towards me because I am black, believe me, the list goes on. Racism is not only in football, it's in cricket too. Even within teams as a black man, I get the end of the stick. Black and powerful. Black and proud"