FORMER West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has indicated his willingness and enthusiasm to compete in the second annual Knights Basketball Club-organised Celebrity Basketball Game which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 20, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. The brilliant right-handed batsman will be making his debut in the event this year, which featured fellow national athletes and entertainers such as Stephen Vieira, Howard Lowe, Ronson Williams and Don Gialiani last year.
“Well it means a lot to me, I missed it last year but I’m really excited about competing this year … I think should be very interesting, funny and entertaining. Hopefully I’ll be fit enough for the game,” Sarwan said.
The accomplished West Indian batsman, who has 15 Test centuries and 31 half-centuries, said that although he expects the event to be mostly exciting and entertaining, he does not underestimate the sport and how demanding it could be.
The 31-year-old middle order batsman did not disclose much about his basketball background, since he wanted his supporters to attend the event to judge for themselves. He did however modestly stated, “I played a bit of street ball, or yard basketball if you want to say that.”
Sarwan commended organiser of the event Kester Gomes, who is the president of Knights Basketball Club, saying that it is a very impacting event considering Gomes’ intention and drive.
“Anything to deal with supporting a charity or a cause like this is always good to be involved with and it’s an honour for me to be a part of this,” Sarwan added.
Sarwan and the other celebrities will be playing for The Support Group for Deaf Persons, which has been earmarked as the charity for this year’s event, with last year’s proceeds from the game donated to Joshua House.
According to Gomes, The Support Group for Deaf Persons was chosen this year because it is an organisation that is often overlooked or forgotten.
Some of the other celebrities that played in last year’s event were national rugby captain Claudius Butts and coach Theodore Henry, six-time Sportswoman-of-the-Year, Nicolette Fernandes and national cricketers Christopher Barnwell, Stephen Jacobs and Leon Johnson.
The organisers have promised some fresh faces for this year’s event, although a few of the players from last year will be competing once again.