The Indian cricket team is scheduled to depart from Barbados on Tuesday, July 2, following a prolonged stay due to the arrival of hurricane Beryl. The team, led by Rohit Sharma, has been stranded on the island nation after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa. The hurricane, which escalated from a category 3 to a category 4 storm, forced the team to remain indoors at their hotel for the past few days.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has arranged a special flight to evacuate the team. According to Vikrant Gupta of India Today, the team will leave Barbados at 6 PM local time on Tuesday, which corresponds to 3:30 AM IST on Wednesday. They are expected to arrive in Delhi by 7:45 PM IST on Wednesday, July 3.
“Good news. The Indian team to finally fly out of Barbados on a special flight arranged by BCCI Tuesday 6 PM local time. To land in Delhi around 7:45 PM Wednesday,” tweeted Vikrant Gupta.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has been actively overseeing relief operations on the ground. She stated that the island’s airport is expected to become operational within the “next six to 12 hours,” allowing for the resumption of normal activities after the forced shutdown due to the hurricane.
“We hope, and we’re working towards later today. I don’t want to speak in advance of it, but I’ve literally been in touch with the airport personnel and they’re doing their last checks now and we want to resume normal operations as a matter of urgency,” Mottley told PTI.
She added, “There are a number of people who were due to leave last night, late or today, or tomorrow morning. And we want to make sure that we can facilitate those persons, so I would anticipate that within the next six to 12 hours, the airport will be open.”
The Indian team’s departure from Barbados comes after several days of uncertainty and anxiety, as hurricane Beryl’s impact intensified. The decision to arrange a special flight underscores the BCCI’s commitment to the safety and well-being of the players and support staff.
This incident highlights the challenges that natural disasters pose, even to well-organized international sporting events. The timely intervention by the BCCI and the proactive measures taken by the Barbados government have been crucial in ensuring the safety of the Indian team.
As the team prepares to leave for Delhi, fans and officials alike will be relieved to see the players return home safely. This experience will undoubtedly be remembered as a unique and challenging chapter in the history of Indian cricket.
