Last Friday, 5th January, the International Cricket Conference (ICC) revealed the fixture list for this year’s highly anticipated T20 World Cup. According to ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice, “The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 marks an exciting expansion of our sport with more teams than ever before set to compete in this event. It’s going to be an incredible spectacle bringing together 20 international teams from Africa, the Americas, Asia, East-Asia Pacific and Europe.”
Here in Guyana, there has been some level of disappointment. After hosting the final stages of the last two years’ Caribbean Premier League (CPL) tournament and being shortlisted along with Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados, as the possible host country for the final, it was awarded to the latter yet again. The Kensington Oval in Barbados had enjoyed the honour of staging the finals of the only two previous ICC tournaments held in the Caribbean, the 2007 Cricket World Cup, the ninth One Day International (ODI) competition, and the third T20 World Cup, in 2010.
Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana will host four and five first round matches, respectively, along with one semi-final. Other Caribbean islands hosting matches are Antigua – four first round and four Super Eight contests in the second round; St Vincent – four and two; and St Lucia – three and two. Dominica had originally been slated to host some matches but had to withdraw owing to challenges with completing venue upgrades in time for the event. Jamaica, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis had not entered bids to host matches.
After the announcement that Barbados had achieved the hat trick of finals, along with five first round group matches, and three of the 12 Super Eights, Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley banged her chest and proudly declared with typical political bravado: “Throughout our history, our nation has firmly established itself as a cricketing mecca.
“It’s a historic moment for our country as well, as this will be the third global cricketing final Kensington Oval has hosted, confirming its place among the world’s premier sporting venues,” a media release quoted her as saying.
“As a government, we believe this is a statement to the high level of organisation Barbados has displayed throughout the years… It is equally a reflection of the fact that cricket is intrinsically linked to the identity of Barbados.” Hardly able to contain herself, Ms Mottley added, “Quite simply, it is in our DNA.”
This trumpet blowing exercise followed on the heels of the embarrassing utterances made by fellow Barbadian, Mr Conde Riley, a representative on the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Board, on 26th September, on the weekly Barbados radio talk show, Mason and Guest. On the popular cricket programme, Mr Riley had boldly promulgated that he was in possession of documents from the ICC which stated that the ICC had awarded the rights to the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup to Barbados. At the time, the ICC had been scheduled to release the fixture dates in early November, and Riley’s rant drew a swift response from CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow, reprimanding Riley, the President of the Barbados Cricket Association, for a “serious breach of trust” and bringing “the entire CWI organisation into disrepute.”
It is not the intention here to rain on Ms Mottley’s parade, but the Prime Minister, along with the over zealous Riley, and the rest of the Caribbean should curb their enthusiasm for a few minutes and read carefully between the lines. They can begin by perusing the construction of the press releases from the ICC, scrutinise intently the vocabulary of the ICC Chief Executive’s statements, take a second glance at the fixture list, and review the precedent which has been set in another sporting discipline.
The strap line for initial statement on the ICC website revealing the fixtures read, “Fixtures have been confirmed for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in USA and West Indies.
“A total of three venues in the USA and six in the Caribbean will be used for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 as the groups and fixtures for the ninth edition of the 20-over showcase were confirmed on Friday, January 5.
“Ten of the 20 teams will play their first match of the 29-day tournament in the USA, with 16 contests to be held in Lauderhill [Florida], Dallas [Texas], and New York, and the blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan scheduled for the new Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island on 9 June.
“Forty-one matches [actually 39] will be played in the Caribbean across six different islands [Guyana is now an island according to the ICC], with semi-finals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana and the title decider scheduled to be played in Barbados on 29 June.
“The tournament will commence on 1 June with co-hosts USA taking on neighbours Canada, while fellow hosts the West Indies will play Papua New Guinea in Guyana on the second day of group play.”
ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice observed last Friday, “….as we enter a new frontier, with the USA hosting a major ICC for the first time. With 16 matches being played across three venues in the USA, it allows us to make a statement in the world’s biggest sports market.”
“One of cricket’s biggest rivalries will take place in one of the world’s most iconic cities, with New York to host India and Pakistan on Sunday, 9 June. The fixture will be played in a cutting-edge 34,000-seat modular stadium just 30 miles east of downtown Manhattan in Nassau County, New York. Eight matches will be played at the venue,” another ICC release glowingly described the USA’s involvement in the tournament.
The uninitiated to the world of cricket might quite easily get the impression that the USA is the main host and the Caribbean is the co-host for this event based on statements emanating from the ICC. It is worth noting that the USA is hosting the marquee contest of the first round, India versus Pakistan, and 40 percent of the first round fixtures, most of which would attract the serious cricket fan because of the anticipated high quality of play.
Ms Mottley’s proud announcement included reference to renovations of Kensington Oval. The Prime Minister should take note of the following. Prior to the USA getting heavily involved in the sport of soccer, the CONCACAF Championships from 1963 to 1989 was rotated between several countries in the zone. Since the CONCACAF Gold Cup replaced the CONCACAF Championships in 1991, every tournament has been hosted or co-hosted by the USA, with 15 of the 17 finals played on American turf.
It is quite clear that the ICC’s long-term projections for the game in this part of the world are focused on the USA, where the game is beginning to grow in popularity. By the time the next ICC major tournament rolls around to this part of the world the Caribbean might be relegated to just hosting first and second round matches. Territories in the West Indies should be very careful how much they spend on current ‘ICC stipulated’ renovations. This year’s T20 World Cup could be the swan song for the West Indies playing the role of the main host.
