From passion to purpose!: Guyanese brand E4 gains ICC global recognition

Like in so many villages across Guyana, cricket is an age-old pastime in the sugarcane community of Enmore, East Coast Demerara.
Located approximately 16 miles east of the capital Georgetown, Enmore has produced many cricketers of repute, among them West Indies and global T20 star Sherfane Rutherford, West Indies youth player Amir Khan, former senior national wicketkeeper Sheik Mohamed, and national youth players Anil Jairam, Safraz Ally, Adrian Persaud, Kevin Bazil and Javed Mohamed.
For sport fanatic-turned-entrepreneur Ravi Etwaroo, who grew up with his three brothers a stone’s throw away from the Enmore Community Centre Ground, the passion for cricket was palpable.

The brothers not only played the different forms of the game, but they for decades also supported the development of the sport in various ways.
In 2006, after migrating to the USA, Etwaroo started his own retail business, Cricket Zone USA, selling cricket gear on a part-time basis for a year before going full-time.
Importantly, Etwaroo opted to supply gear from reputable and authentic cricket brands across the globe to the North American market.
The establishment grew incrementally over the years, attracting top cricketers through its doors at 1656 Castle Hill Ave, Bronx, New York, including no less than Chris Gayle in 2021.
Soon enough, Cricket Zone became one of the leading retail outlets for cricket gear and apparel in the USA, not only catering for walk-in customers but also creating an online presence and shipping to various destinations.
In 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Etwaroo took the bold step of unveiling his indigenous brand E4, supplying his own line of cricket gear to the North American and Caribbean market.

Initially, coming up with a name for the brand was a bit of struggle. After long and careful thinking, Etwaroo opted to settle for E4, a fitting tribute to his surname and his siblings.
“We’re four brothers and we all played cricket in different forms in Enmore, also in Canada and the US, and it was only fitting that I kept the legacy of the name Etwaroo, hence E4,” Etwaroo explained.
To grow the brand and make it reputable, Etwaroo engaged leading manufacturers in the industry to not only deliver top-quality equipment and apparel to customers, but also create attracting branding.
That method has brought tremendous returns, with the E4 brand rapidly gaining popularity over the last five years.
“People are starting to start accepting the brand as their own now,” Etwaroo said.
“We carry about three to four models on a yearly basis. Bags are built differently, completely different from the other suppliers. The products are outstanding and well accepted by the cricket community and more and more players are calling us to be aligned with the brand.”

ICC recognition
Determined to get his brand on the global stage, Etwaroo reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) three years ago and on March 5, 2024, E4 was successfully approved to be used in all formats of international cricket (Tests, ODIs and T20Is).
Effective immediately, the E4 logo can legally be displayed on clothing and equipment used in international cricket.
To gain this accreditation and approval, it was important the E4 brand catered to all levels of cricket – male, female, senior, junior and youth.
It is understood that E4 is the first-ever Guyanese affiliated brand to gain this recognition, an achievement Etwaroo is particularly proud of.
“This is a big thing for us,” the elated businessman declared.
“Because it’s built now as a brand worldwide, where we can now attract international players from all the cricket-playing nations that are affiliated to the ICC.”
This expansion would take E4 beyond the North American and Caribbean market, with the initial targets being Australia, England, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
“The family support is heavy behind this and everyone is happy at this new development. The Friends of Enmore group is also excited by this recognition that someone from their village was able to receive,” Etwaroo concluded.
Over the years, Cricket Zone USA, through E4, has sponsored several cricketers across the Region, among them Sherfane Rutherford, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gajanand Singh, Kennar Lewis, Matthew Nandu, Kimani Melius, Navin Stewart, Oraine Williams, Tevin Imlach, Adrian Hetmyer, Akshaya Persaud and West Indies female cricketers Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams and Natasha McLean.
It is the hope of Etwaroo that list will grow significantly in the coming years, as the brand goes global.
According to him, West Indies all-rounder Raymon Reifer and regional cricketer Kadeem Alleyne are in line to use E4 soon.
What started out as a passion several decades ago has found its purpose, and Etwaroo is hoping his fellow Guyanese can achieve the same in their respective endeavours.
“It was a lot of work, but it was worth it in the end. I would advise my fellow Guyanese brothers and sisters to have a goal and work towards it. Nothing is impossible,” Etwaroo advised.