The right-arm fast bowler said in his statement, “I recognise now that I was attempting to break through my own tension when I said to Joe Root: Why are you smiling at me? Do you like boys?"
The England skipper replied, "Don’t use it as an insult. There’s nothing wrong with being gay." His conversation was picked up by the stump mics.
Later, Gabriel responded, "I have no issues with that, but you should stop smiling at me.”
Former Windies cricketer Daren Ganga tweeted an official statement by Gabriel where he admitted his comments were offensive, a fact he didn’t realise at that time.
Shannon Gabriel, very interesting indeed🤔, does this warrant a 4 ODI or 2 Test suspension? @irbishi @sanjaymanjrekar @SteelyDan66 @nassercricket @Athersmike @alanwilkins22 @bhogleharsha @mmbangwa @windiescricket @ICC @englandcricket pic.twitter.com/vCFZeFyNme
— Daren Ganga (@DarenGanga) February 14, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Shannon Gabriel, very interesting indeed🤔, does this warrant a 4 ODI or 2 Test suspension? @irbishi @sanjaymanjrekar @SteelyDan66 @nassercricket @Athersmike @alanwilkins22 @bhogleharsha @mmbangwa @windiescricket @ICC @englandcricket pic.twitter.com/vCFZeFyNme
— Daren Ganga (@DarenGanga) February 14, 2019 ">Shannon Gabriel, very interesting indeed🤔, does this warrant a 4 ODI or 2 Test suspension? @irbishi @sanjaymanjrekar @SteelyDan66 @nassercricket @Athersmike @alanwilkins22 @bhogleharsha @mmbangwa @windiescricket @ICC @englandcricket pic.twitter.com/vCFZeFyNme
— Daren Ganga (@DarenGanga) February 14, 2019
The incident took place in the last Test match of the three-match series during 44th over of England’s second innings.
The 30-year-old was warned for using abusive language by the on-field umpires, Rod Tucker and Kumar Dharmasena and was subsequently charged with a Level 2 offence under article 2.13 of the ICC’s Code of Conduct, covering “personal abuse”.
Root when asked by the reporter what was the exact conversation between him and Gabriel, refused to reveal any detail.
“Sometimes things are said on the field but they should stay on the field,” said Root.
The England talisman added, “I think they can sometimes be caught in the moment and not always say what you want to say or think you’re saying. I think you should leave it there.”
Gabriel in his letter wrote: “I am comforted by the fact that there are no hard feelings between us.”
Meanwhile, the two sides will resume their rivalry when they face each other in 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is.
