BCCI Secretary Jay Shah is personally overseeing the logistics of the situation
01 July, 2024
PHOTO: AFP
India's cricket team is currently stranded in Barbados following their triumphant T20 World Cup 2024 win against South Africa on Saturday at the Kensington Oval.
Due to the impending threat of Hurricane Beryl, the team has been forced to extend their stay in Bridgetown for an extra day.
The original plan had the team departing on Monday, following a scheduled reserve day on Sunday for the final. They were set to fly to New York and then take connecting flights to Mumbai. However, with the hurricane approaching, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has had to make alternative travel arrangements.
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah is personally overseeing the logistics of the situation. The main concern is whether the Barbados airport will remain operational, as it is expected to close by 8 PM on Sunday evening. The BCCI is now looking into the possibility of chartering a flight directly from the USA to India.
The unexpected hurricane has led to significant changes in the team's travel plans. The entourage, which includes players, support staff, families, and officials, totals around 70 members. Finding an aircraft large enough to accommodate everyone has become a challenge, as such planes are not available in the Caribbean. Therefore, the BCCI is working on securing one from the USA.
Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, intensified into a "very dangerous" Category 3 storm on Sunday morning. According to CNN, it is moving towards Barbados and the Windward Islands, bringing with it hurricane-force winds and potentially life-threatening storm surges. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Beryl is currently over 400 kilometers away from Barbados, with wind speeds close to 200 kilometers per hour.
"Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season, intensified into a 'very dangerous' Category 3 storm on Sunday morning as it churned toward Barbados and the Windward Islands, promising destructive hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge, according to the National Hurricane Center," CNN reported.
The NHC has also warned of a life-threatening storm surge, with water levels potentially rising by 6 to 9 feet above normal tide levels in the areas where the hurricane is expected to make landfall.
