West Indies cricket legends Clive Lloyd, former World Cup-winning captain, batter Alvin Kallicharran and ex-spinner Devendra Bishoo interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Guyana on Friday.
Speaking to the media after the interaction, Lloyd expressed his enthusiasm about the opportunities for Guyanese players to train in India, noting PM Modi’s keen interest in boosting cricket. “We had a good discussion. The conversation went very well. I think 11 of our players will now train in India, which is great. We are thankful for that. He is interested in cricket, and that is very encouraging. We need more leaders like him,” Lloyd said.
A key figure in the West Indies’ World Cup victories in 1975 and 1979, Lloyd scored 7,515 runs in 110 Tests at an average of 46.67, with 19 centuries and 39 fifties. His highest score was 242*. In 87 ODIs, he amassed 1,977 runs at an average of 39.54, including one century and 11 fifties, with a top score of 102.
Alvin Kallicharran praised PM Modi’s in-depth knowledge of cricket, describing the connection as “tremendous.” He said, “Everyone in India knows cricket, but his knowledge is special because he remembers when we toured India. He even knows us by our first names. Meeting the Prime Minister personally is magical. His kindness in supporting young cricketers is remarkable.”
Kallicharran, a pivotal player in the West Indies’ 1975 and 1979 World Cup triumphs, scored 4,399 runs in 66 Tests at an average of 44.43, with 12 centuries and 21 fifties. His best score was 187. In 31 ODIs, he scored 826 runs, including six fifties, with a top score of 78.
Devendra Bishoo, a spinner who represented the West Indies from 2011 to 2019, also expressed his admiration for PM Modi, calling him “a simple and amazing person.” He added, “Meeting him for the first time was incredible. The people of Guyana truly appreciate his visit and the time he spent engaging with our culture. His simplicity is a wonderful quality.”
Bishoo played 85 matches across all formats for the West Indies, taking 162 wickets at an average of 37.99, with best bowling figures of 8/49.
Earlier, PM Modi called his visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to Guyana in 56 years, a “significant milestone” in bilateral relations. He thanked Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali for the warm welcome and reflected on his personal connection to the country, recalling his visit 24 years ago as a private citizen.