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Cricketer Fabian Allen, a West Indian international,
was brutally mugged at gunpoint in Johannesburg not too long ago. The
28-year-old Jamaican all-rounder, who plays for the Paarl Royals squad in the
SA20 league, was shook up after being singled out outside the team hotel.
Armed with a rifle, the attackers approached Allen
outside the well-known Sandton Sun Hotel and took his phone and other personal
items—including a bag—by force. Concerns over the safety of players competing
in the SA20 have been raised by the occurrence.
The incident has been verified by numerous sources
affiliated with the SA20, Cricket West Indies (CWI), and Paarl Royals squad.
While acknowledging the circumstance, a CWI source guaranteed Allen’s safety.
Furthermore, after speaking with the player, a West Indies board representative
conveyed relief.
No answer was received from the Paarl Royals
management, despite efforts to gather information. A representative for the
SA20 League did not refute the occurrence, but instead referred questions to a
police officer who was awaiting further information at the time of publishing.
A comment from the player himself was not possible to obtain.
“Our head coach Andre Coley, also hailing from
Jamaica, reached out to Fabian. Contact was successfully established through
Obed McCoy (another West Indies international). He is fine. CSA (Cricket South
Africa) and his team, Paarl Royals, could share more details if there are
any,” a top CWI official told sources.
This incident marks the second occurrence of a
security-related episode involving the SA20 players in recent times. It is the
second season of the league, which has reached the play-offs stage. Paarl
Royals will be playing the Eliminator on February 7 after Qualifier 1 later in
the night. The final will be played on February 10.