(Source X)
In a surprising turn of events, South African players, along with their families and match officials, found themselves stuck at the Trinidad airport following the Proteas’ historic semi-final victory over Afghanistan.
Reportedly, the situation unfolded due to a small private aircraft’s landing mishap in Barbados, resulting in the complete closure of Grantley Adams Airport by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Barbados Police Service, leaving the travelers stranded.
Flights bound for Barbados were abruptly halted and rescheduled. The incident occurred as the pilot of the aircraft received news of the runway closure in Bridgetown just as the South African team was preparing to board for Barbados.
“It appeared that the landing gear of the private aircraft did not deploy, but it is currently on the runway at GAIA [Grantley Adams International Airport] safely,” Sharleen Brown, Corporate Communication Specialist with GAIA, said in a statement, confirming that all three individuals on board – two passengers and a pilot – were safe.
Passengers traveling from Trinidad to Barbados were informed of the rescheduling, resulting in nearly six hours of delay for everyone involved.
Continued logistical challenges plague T20 World Cup 2024
The ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 has seen recurring logistical hurdles. Earlier, the Sri Lankan cricket team faced an overnight stay at an airport while traveling from Florida to New York during the group stage. Sri Lankan player Maheesh Theekshana highlighted the team’s struggle with frequent travel and logistical issues.
Recently, Afghanistan encountered flight delays before reaching Trinidad for their semi-final against South Africa. Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott voiced frustration with the ICC’s scheduling, citing insufficient time between the Super 8 stage and the semi-finals.
With the tournament spanning multiple Caribbean islands and the USA as co-hosts, managing logistical challenges has proven daunting for the ICC.
Continued logistical challenges plague T20 World Cup 2024
The ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 has seen recurring logistical hurdles. Earlier, the Sri Lankan cricket team faced an overnight stay at an airport while traveling from Florida to New York during the group stage. Sri Lankan player Maheesh Theekshana highlighted the team’s struggle with frequent travel and logistical issues.
Recently, Afghanistan encountered flight delays before reaching Trinidad for their semi-final against South Africa. Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott voiced frustration with the ICC’s scheduling, citing insufficient time between the Super 8 stage and the semi-finals.
With the tournament spanning multiple Caribbean islands and the USA as co-hosts, managing logistical challenges has proven daunting for the ICC.
South Africa and India advance to the final
South Africa achieved their first-ever men’s World Cup final berth by defeating Afghanistan by 9 wickets at Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad. The pitch faced criticism due to inconsistent bounce and excessive seam movement, limiting Afghanistan to just 56 runs. Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi each took 3 wickets. In response, South Africa chased down the target in the ninth over, losing only Quinton de Kock.
In the other semi-final, India beat England by 68 runs to secure their place in the final. It was a comprehensive display by the Men in Blue, who posted 171-7 after opting to bat on a challenging pitch. India’s spinners capitalized on the conditions, dismissing England for 103 runs, with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav claiming 3 wickets each.
