By Neto Baptiste
Former West Indies captain and Antigua and Barbuda’s only living National Hero, Sir Vivian Richards, celebrated his 72nd birthday in style on Thursday in Pakistan where is a mentor with the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The scorer of 8,540 runs across 121 Tests, Sir Viv spoke on the Good Morning Jojo sports show from his hotel in Pakistan where the celebrations were still ongoing.
“We’ve just basically been celebrating here in the hotel and it’s amazing the love one can get being so far from home and it’s just so special. The hotel staff has given me a great sendoff in that way and it’s so special. I would just like to take this opportunity as well to thank all those who would have sent birthday wishes and wishing me the very best and I thank you all, I love you and it’s just been great and it can’t get any better than this,” he said.
Sir Viv made his test debut in 1974 against India along with Gordon Greenidge. His best years were between 1976 and 1983 where he averaged a remarkable 66.51 with the bat in Test cricket.
The former batsman jokingly spoke about turning 72 while thanking those who have supported him throughout the years.
“There are times that because of that psychological factor, you think you’re getting on a little bit in life that all of a sudden you get up and you start feeling old, but I decided I was going to fight that tonight. I am very thankful to God for just preserving my life and everything and all those in my life, my kids, my family on a whole, my present family and stuff like that. I thank you so much for having them in my life,” he said.
Sir Viv was knighted for his contributions to cricket in 1999. In 2000 he was voted one of Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Century by a 100-member panel of experts and in 2002 the Almanack judged that he had played the best One Day International innings of all time.