The Indian cricket team, stuck in Bridgetown, Barbados since their World Cup victory on June 29, is finally set to depart the Caribbean island on Tuesday night. Due to flight cancellations caused by Hurricane Beryl, which hit the region with high intensity, the team and their families have been confined to their hotel for the past two days.
Efforts by the BCCI managers to arrange a private jet or charter flight have been hindered by the closure of Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA). Fortunately, the airport is expected to reopen later today, allowing air traffic to resume. Local media reports have indicated that the airport remained mostly unaffected during the passage of the hurricane, with minimal damages reported.
In other cricket news, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has appointed Lakshmipathy Balaji as the coach for the upcoming domestic season. However, Balaji’s acceptance of the role remains uncertain as he is reportedly considering an offer from elsewhere. The former Indian pacer previously served as the assistant coach for Tamil Nadu and was recently in the US as a television expert for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that India’s new head coach and support staff will take over from the Sri Lanka series later this month, with India’s tour of Zimbabwe currently being overseen by NCA staff led by VVS Laxman.
On a different note, the South Africa cricket team, who lost to India in the final, managed to leave Barbados before Hurricane Beryl struck. Only three players were set to return home, while the rest have departed for Major League Cricket (MLC) or Lanka Premier League (LPL) engagements.