Dominica withdraws itself as one of the hosts for the 2024 T20 World Cup
Dominica has pulled out from hosting matches at the 2024 T20 World Cup, with only months remaining for the event to unfold in the Caribbean and the USA. The government, through a statement, expressed that they are not prepared to undertake such an assignment in the form of a global tournament since the venues will not be ready in time.
Dominica was named as one of the hosts for the 2024 T20 World Cup following bids from the local government that was overseen by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) along with the International Cricket Council (ICC). It is understood that except for Jamaica, Grenada, and St Kitts & Nevis, every country in the Caribbean made a bid to host World Cup matches.
Windsor Park in Dominica, which recently played host to a red-ball contest between India and West Indies, was assigned to play host to one group stage match and a couple of Super 8 stage encounters of the premier short-format tournament. The hosting was subject to the venue meeting obligations set out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
"Several tangible actions were taken both at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium and at the Benjamin's Park including the commencement of upgrading and enhancement of the practice and match venues, various assessments and the creation of additional pitches where necessary," the Dominica government's statement read.
The statement continued:
"However, the implementation timelines submitted by the various contractors revealed that it would not be possible to complete these works within the stipulated timeframe before the commencement of the tournament. As a result, a decision was taken not to host any of the matches in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 as it would not be prudent for the Government of Dominica to commit to hosting these games."
The West Indies last hosted the competition back in 2010, which saw the use of only three venues - St. Lucia, Barbados, and Guyana.
T20 World Cup schedule set to be announced soon
The 2024 T20 World Cup comes across as a crucial event for cricket amid its rapid growth in North America. The USA witnessed a massive spike in interest, resulting in a successful maiden season of the Major League Cricket (MLC) earlier this year.
Cricket West Indies also put out a statement in response to Dominica's claims that they will be unable to host the assigned matches. Johnny Grave, CWI chief executive, said:
"We acknowledge the dedication of the Government of Dominica in preparing to host matches as a part of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. While recognising their commitment, we note the reasons stated for the decision that has been made and understand the position. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government of Dominica and the Dominica Cricket Association to host international matches in the future."
The tournament is expected to take place from June 4 to June 30. Uganda became the last team to qualify for the event, and the tournament is all set to witness 20 nations vying for the trophy next year.