Last Updated:
The former India U19 star met the Caribbean great in Florida during one of the games of the Mayor’s New World T20 competition on Monday, November 10.
Unmukt Chand with Viv Richards.
Former Delhi cricketer Unmukt Chand got the chance to meet West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards at the sidelines of the Mayor’s New World T20 tournament in Florida. Invited as a special guest to watch one of the matches at the four-team competition on Monday, November 10, Unmukt was most delighted to get an opportunity to greet the King of Antigua himself.
Richards, who is the league ambassador for the Mayor’s New World T20, featuring USA-based teams Florida Hurricanes, California Steelers, New York Cavaliers and Chicago Raiders, was present at the Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill. Chand expressed his joy at meeting one of the game’s greatest ever cricketers, who playfully held his little kid Krishay and gave him his elderly blessings.
During their conversation, Chand received a special message from Richards that resonated with a cricketer who retired prematurely from Indian cricket and currently plies his trade in the USA’s Major League Cricket.
“He (Richards) told me, ‘Cricket is cricket, whichever country or franchise you play for, play it with the same intention and heart.’ That’ll stay with me forever,” Chand wrote on X with a video showing Richards holding the cricketer’s little son.
“The best part- little Krishay got his blessings too. The GOAT himself held him in his arms. Special to be in the presence of greatness.”
He told me,“Cricket is cricket,whichever country or franchise you play for-play it with the same intention&heart.”That’ll stay with me forever.The best part- little Krishay got his blessings too❤️The GOAT himself held him in his arms 🏏🙌Spl to be in the presence of greatness pic.twitter.com/MA0Xe4iBB9— Unmukt Chand (@UnmuktChand9) November 11, 2025
Chand, who rose to fame with his fantastic hundred in the final of the 2012 U19 World Cup against Australia as captain, is the protagonist of one of Indian cricket’s sad stories. Once earmarked to be fast-tracked into the senior national team, the elegant right-hander could never make it past the rigours of India’s domestic game, with the pressure of expectations and administrative politics curtailing his wings.
At the age of just 28, he bid farewell to all forms of Indian cricket in August 2021 and decided to pursue his cricketing journey in America. He currently represents Los Angeles Knight Riders in the Major League Cricket.
The unfulfilled promise and cricketing tale of the former India U19 and Delhi batter was captured in a documentary film titled ‘Unbroken: The Unmukt Chand Story’, which released in September. In the docu film, Chand unveiled his side of the story from a career that never took off.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
November 13, 2025, 23:14 IST
Read More
