T20 World Cup: Team India safe in hurricane-hit Barbados, BCCI to arrange charter plane

Indian cricket team's departure from Barbados after the T20 World Cup triumph is set to be delayed by at least another day due to Hurricane Beryl which made its landfall in Grenada on Monday, July 1. Rohit Sharma and his men, Indian cricket board (BCCI) top brass, including secretary Jay Shah, have been staying indoors at the team hotel after the local government issued flood and storm warnings in the Caribbean islands.

The Indian cricket team was expected to depart to India on Monday (July 1), but it has stranded on the island after the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados was shut until further notice. The Category 4 hurricane was expected to affect St Vincent and Grenada the most while Hurricane warnings were in effect in Barbados and Tobago as well. The Barbados airport was shut from Sunday and is expected to remain closed for at



least the next 14 hours, India Today learned on Monday morning (local time). Barbados seems to have been spared from the worst impact of Hurricane Beryl. While strong winds lashed the island on Monday, water and electricity supply was not affected at least in the team hotel until Monday morning.

Team India was expected to fly to New York from Barbados and then return home. However, the hurricane has led to a change in plans with the BCCI looking to arrange a direct charter flight for the team and the members of the support staff to reach New Delhi. However, the arrangements can be made only after the Barbados airport resumes operation and it remains to be seen when it would get the clearance from the government.

The Indian team players have stayed indoors, adhering to the local government's warnings since Sunday evening.