ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Oct 27, CMC — West Indies great Sir Vivian Richards and former England captain David Gower will serve as Honorary Team Managers for the “One Commonwealth, One Team – A Commonwealth Cricket Celebration”, presented by Hamilton Reserve Bank, on Sunday, November 1 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Richards will manage the Caribbean team, while Gower will lead the Wider Commonwealth side as Commonwealth leaders take the field in a special match tied to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda.
The appointments reunite two of cricket’s most prominent figures, who captained their countries against each other when England toured the Caribbean in 1986.
That series included Richards’ famed 56-ball century against Gower’s England at the Antigua Recreation Ground, then the fastest hundred in Test history.
Richards, an Antigua and Barbuda national hero, is regarded as one of the finest batsmen the game has produced.
He scored 8,540 runs in 121 Tests for the West Indies, captained the side without losing a Test series and was named among Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Century.
His role carries extra meaning because the match will be played at the stadium bearing his name, following Antigua and Barbuda’s Independence Day celebrations.
Gower, one of the most elegant left-handed batsmen of his era, scored more than 8,000 Test runs for England and captained his country, including to Ashes success in 1985.
He later built a long and distinguished career as a broadcaster.
Cricket West Indies CEO Chris Dehring said the appointments add stature to an event designed to celebrate cricket’s place across the Commonwealth.
“Sir Vivian and David are two of the finest players and most respected figures the game has known, and having them alongside our Heads of Government adds something truly special,” Dehring said. “They were fierce rivals as captains, but what they represent together is exactly what ‘One Commonwealth, One Team’ is about: competition played in a spirit of respect and friendship.”
The Heads of Government match will be followed by the Commonwealth Future Stars Under-23 ten-overs-a-side match, featuring emerging talent from across the Commonwealth.
The event is being hosted with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Sustainable Markets Initiative, with support from event sponsors.
“One Commonwealth, One Team” uses cricket to bring the CHOGM 2026 theme, “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”, to life through three messages: Play Together, Play for Progress and Play for the Future.
CMC la/26