West Indies all-rounder Kevin Sinclair released an emotional statement on Saturday (April 4) following his exclusion from the Guyana side for the West Indies Championship.
Kevin Sinclair: I have been unfairly labeled
Sinclair had already lost his contract with Guyana last August. At the time, Guyana chair of selectors Ramnaresh Sarwan did not disclose the reasons why but did say that the player had been informed of the reason for his axing.
On Saturday evening at a press conference ahead of the new season, Sarwan labelled Sinclair as "very disruptive to the team", when asked why the Test-capped player had been left out of the squad. He further said issues with the all-rounder date back to 2024.
Guyana captain Tevin Imlach added that during a recent practice match, Sinclair left the field during a crucial phase of play and later appeared in casual clothing while the match was still going on; this was considered a breach of team discipline.
Hours after Sarwan and Imlach spoke to the media, Sinclair released a statement of his own via NCN Guyana, in which he claimed, "On multiple occasions, I have felt that my voice has not been heard and that I have been unfairly labeled without full consideration of the context."
He directly addressed Imlach's version of events at the practice match, putting forward his side of the story: "I would also like to clarify a recent incident that I believe has been misinterpreted. During a trial match at Everest Cricket Club, I requested permission from the captain to briefly leave the field due to illness—diarrhea—and suggested that my teammate, Anthony Adams, continue bowling in my absence.
"Upon returning shortly after, I was denied the opportunity to resume bowling and was told that I had 'walked off the field,' which does not accurately reflect the situation. I was again forced to leave due to the same illness, and feeling physically unwell, later changed into civilian clothing near the end of the innings at the fall of the ninth wicket."
'I maintain my reaction came from a place of emotional distress'
The all-rounder went in depth regarding his issues with the Guyana Cricket Board as well: "In 2024, during a net session in Trinidad, I was subjected to a series of dangerous beamers from a particular player, despite still recovering from a broken hand sustained on a previous tour in England. I reported the incident, but I felt that no satisfactory action was taken. Frustrated and feeling unprotected, I reacted harshly—something I acknowledge I could have handled better.
"At the same time, I was dealing with deep personal grief, having just lost my brother in a tragic accident in Berbice. Rumors circulated about him being gay, and I was subjected to malicious and deeply hurtful taunts regarding my brother. That moment pushed me to a breaking point, and I reacted in a way I regret.
"All of this occurred at a time when I had just become a father to my baby girl and was preparing to move into my new home—milestones that should have been among the happiest moments of my life.
"Following these events, my central contract with the Guyana Cricket Board was withdrawn, and I was subsequently excluded from all Guyana teams. I was labeled as 'indisciplined,' a characterization I strongly disagree with. I do not believe my full circumstances were properly heard or understood. While I take responsibility for my reaction, I maintain that it came from a place of emotional distress, passion, and a desire to defend myself—not from misconduct. During my career, I have never been disrespectful to management and have always supported and valued my teammates."
Guyana cricket operations manager Anthony D'Andrade did say at the press conference that the board had attempted to engage a sports psychologist regarding Sinclair's situation, but those efforts did not materialise.
Sinclair has 17 caps for the West Indies across formats, the last of those coming in January 2025 in the second Test against Pakistan at Multan.
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
