Chanderpaul ... not selfish.

WEST INDIES batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul is not a happy man as he is being labelled a selfish man after going missing during the Carib Beer match between Guyana and the Windward Islands on Sunday, March 30, in Guyana.

At the end of the first day, Guyana were 312 for three with Chanderpaul on 78 not out but the left-hander did not return to bat on the second day.

Chanderpaul attended the West Indies Players Association's (WIPA) awards dinner in Port-of-Spain on the Sunday night and, according to reports, he did so without the knowledge of manager Carl Moore and coach Albert Smith.

With blessings

According to Chanderpaul, however, while he did leave the match and did attend the function to collect three awards, he did so with the blessing of Chetram Singh - the president of the Guyana Cricket Board, and the selectors.

Speaking from Port-of-Spain on Wednesday, Chanderpaul said that he was invited by WIPA to attend the function, neither Guyana nor the Windward Islands were in the running for anything in the tournament, and so he decided to miss the match and attend the function.

"When I told the president of my decision he told me that Guyana were not doing well in the competition, that they wanted to win the match and they wanted to have me in the team to help the side get some runs," Chanderpaul said.

"We decided that we would take a chance, that I would play, hope that we win the toss so that I would bat for the first day, leave for the function, and return for the last two days," he said.

"That was what happened, so I do not see how I can be accused of being selfish, and that nobody knew that I was leaving the match for a day at the end of the first day. I just do not see how that means that I am selfish. If I was, I would not have played at all."