T20 World Cup 2024 champions Team India find themselves stranded in Barbados after Hurricane Beryl disrupted their return plans. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working tirelessly to arrange a charter plane to bring the team back home as soon as the airport resumes operations. Rohit Sharma and his squad will have to extend their stay in Barbados by at least another day following Hurricane Beryl’s landfall in Grenada on Monday, July 1.
The Indian players, support staff, and BCCI officials, including secretary Jay Shah, are all sheltered indoors at their team hotel due to the flood and storm warnings issued across the Caribbean islands. After their thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa to clinch their second T20 World Cup title on Saturday, June 29, Team India was scheduled to fly home on Monday.
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However, with the closure of Grantley Adams International Airport on Sunday, the BCCI had to explore alternative arrangements for the team’s return. The Category 4 hurricane was expected to hit St Vincent and Grenada the hardest, with hurricane warnings extending to Barbados and Tobago. The Barbados airport is projected to remain closed for at least the next 14 hours.
According to India Today, Barbados has seemingly avoided the worst of Hurricane Beryl’s impact as of Monday morning. Despite strong winds battering the island, the water and electricity supply at the team hotel remained unaffected as of Monday morning.
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In the latest update, the Men in Blue are scheduled to depart from Barbados on July 2 at 6 pm local time, which corresponds to approximately 3:30 am IST on Wednesday. The team is expected to arrive in Delhi by 7:45 pm IST on July 3, Wednesday.
“Good news. The Indian team to finally fly out of Barbados on a special flight arranged by BCCI Tuesday 6pm local time. To land in Delhi around 7.45 pm Wednesday,” tweeted Vikrant Gupta.
Good news. The Indian team to finally fly out of Barbados on a special flight arranged by BCCI Tuesday 6pm local time. To land in Delhi around 7.45 pm Wednesday
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) July 2, 2024
The Delhi airport is anticipated to be bustling with excitement on Wednesday as numerous fans are expected to gather to welcome the champion players. With India ending their 11-year-long wait for an ICC title, the euphoria among fans is at an all-time high, ready to celebrate the monumental achievement of their beloved cricket team.
