West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has come clean over the verbal altercation with England's Joe Root, tendering an 'unreserved apology' to the batsman for his alleged homosexual comments.
In the third Test match between West Indies and England, stump mics picked up Joe Root saying to Gabriel," there's nothing wrong with being gay" in response to something said by the pacer. Gabriel revealed that in the spur of the moment, he has passed a vulgar comment to Root saying "Why are you smiling at me? Do you like boys?''
"To my team-mates and members of the England team, especially their captain Joe Root, I extend an unreserved apology for a comment which in the context of on-the-field rivalry, I assumed was inoffensive and sporting banter," Gabriel said "I know now that it was offensive and for that, I am deeply sorry.
"The exchange was on and England's captain Joe Root was looking at me intensely as I prepared to bowl, which may have been the unusual psychological strategy with which all Test cricketers are familiar."
The fast bowler was fined 75% of his match fee and given a four-match ban by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which means he will miss the first four ODIs of the impending series against England.
