LONDON: The West Indies will face a Rest of the World XI in a lone Twenty20 match at Lord’s to raise funds for Caribbean cricket grounds damaged by recent hurricanes.

The reigning World Twenty20 champions will face the World XI on May 31 in a match that will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Both James Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla and Dominica’s Windsor Park Stadium were damaged as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Now the International Cricket Council has granted the match international status, with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) president Giles Clarke, an ICC board member, helping co-ordinate the match.

Dave Cameron, the president of Cricket West Indies, said in a statement issued in conjunction with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the owners of Lord’s, said on Tuesday: “Hurr­icanes Irma and Maria have devastated parts of the Eastern Caribbean and we have been considering how CWI can best show support for our region in the most impactful way.

“I would like personally to thank MCC for agreeing to host the match at Lord’s, and ECB, especially their president Giles Clarke, for their kind and generous support of this initiative. I am sure the match will be highly entertaining and competitive, as well as a great platform for us to raise much-needed funds.”

MCC secretary Guy Lavender added: “MCC has enjoyed a warm relationship with the people of the Caribbean for over a century, and is proud to be able to play a part in providing relief for the areas that were devastated by last year’s hurricanes. I am looking forward to seeing a capacity crowd to help raise funds to restore important cricket facilities.”

ECB chairman Colin Graves said: “To have two category five hurricanes in the space of two weeks was unprecedented and everyone around the world was shocked by the destruction which was caused.

“The ECB and CWI have always enjoyed a fantastic relationship and we are keen to support them and the people of the Caribbean in this fundraising initiative.”

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2018