‘Reyaz always backed me to do well’- Chanderpaul

By Avenash Ramzan

Former Guyana and West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul said popular television personality Reyaz Husein was one of his staunch supporters, and his death has come as a great shock.

Husein, 50, passed away on December 24 after complaining of feeling unwell.

Apart from hosting the NTN Morning Show for several years, Husein was also the Administrator of the Reyaz Husein Business Institute, Proprietor of Inca Vitamins and a Vice-president of the Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association.

“I was really shocked at the news,” Chanderpaul, West Indies most capped Test player with 164 matches, told News Room Sport this week.

“Reyaz was one of the guys who always supported me in my career; he always had a good word of advice. At times when I was down and facing criticisms he would always encouraged me to rise above them and come back stronger.”

Chanderpaul, who scored 11,867 Test runs, the second most by a West Indian behind Brian Lara, said it was people like Husein who constantly motivated him to strive for excellence.

“As a player you take comfort in knowing that there are people who are backing you to do well, so you always want to perform and repay that faith they have placed in you,” the former West Indies captain highlighted.

Chanderpaul expressed condolences to the family of Husein, noting that cricket has lost a good servant.

Apart from performing duties as Public Announcer at international games and softball matches in Guyana, Husein was also involved in cricket coaching and mentoring at the club level and played second division cricket.

He was also a member of the Georgetown Cricket Club and Everest Cricket Club.

Less than 48 hours before his death Husein was the MC at a Guyana Cricket Board function to unveil the newly-installed floodlight towers at the La Bonne Intention ground, East Coast Demerara.

Husein was laid to rest on Tuesday (December 29).