Indian Cricket Team Stranded in Barbados After Hurricane Hits
The Indian cricket team, captained by Rohit Sharma, is facing an unexpected hurdle in Barbados. Following their T20 World Cup victory against South Africa, the team found themselves trapped in the Caribbean islands after a Category 4 hurricane struck early Monday morning. Currently lodged in a luxurious five-star hotel, the team is enduring the aftermath of the disastrous storm.
Barbados has been grappling with life-threatening winds and storms since the hurricane made landfall. With the entire country on lockdown since Sunday evening, the main international airport remains shut indefinitely. Basic amenities such as water and electricity have also been severely affected.
With a population of nearly three lakhs, Barbados is striving to assess the extent of the damage and restore normalcy. The Indian team’s return to India has been postponed by at least a day due to the unfavorable conditions.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who arrived in Barbados ahead of the final match, commented, “Like all of you, we are also stranded here. Our current focus is on ensuring the safe evacuation of the players and staff before planning any celebrations upon their return to India.”
The team, accompanied by top BCCI officials including Jay Shah, was originally scheduled to depart for India via a chartered flight on Monday. However, the airport closure has derailed this plan. Efforts are underway to evacuate the Indian media personnel from the hurricane-affected region as well.
Despite exploring multiple charter options, the BCCI’s plans hinge on the airport’s operational status. As of now, no flights can take off or land at the airport. The organization is considering a direct flight to India with a refueling stop either in the US or Europe. However, the airport is unlikely to resume operations until Tuesday afternoon given the ongoing harsh weather conditions.
As the situation unfolds, all parties involved are closely monitoring the weather patterns to determine the safest course of action. With nature’s unpredictability at play, patience is key as everyone awaits the reopening of the airport for the team’s journey back home.
