T20 World Cup 2024 Final Faces Operational Hurdles

The T20 World Cup 2024 final in the USA and West Indies, already grappling with logistical challenges and tight scheduling, has encountered additional operational issues.

A landing mishap involving a small private aircraft at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados has left the South African team, their families, commentators, match officials, and ICC officials stranded at the Trinidad airport. The Barbados airport has been closed for inspections by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Barbados Police Service.

Just before taking off from Trinidad, the pilots were informed about the runway closure in Bridgetown.

Sharleen Brown, Corporate Communication Specialist with Grantley Adams International Airport, stated that the landing gear of the private aircraft did not deploy, but the aircraft landed safely on the runway. She confirmed that all three individuals on board—two passengers and a pilot—were unharmed. Passengers on the flight from Trinidad to Barbados were informed that the tentative rescheduled departure time was 4:30 pm, resulting in nearly six hours of delay. All boarded passengers had to return to the terminal, adding to the numerous delays teams have faced during the tournament.

One of the most significant delays occurred when Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Ireland had to spend an entire night at the airport while travelling from Florida to New York. Afghanistan also experienced delays, finishing their last Super Eight match early Tuesday morning and then having their flight delayed before playing their semi-final on Wednesday night.

This marks the first time South Africa has reached a final in a men's World Cup. The final is scheduled for Saturday morning, diverging from the traditional Sunday finals. This change meant that the second semi-final, currently delayed due to bad weather in Guyana, could not have a reserve day. Despite granting both semi-finals the same extra time to complete the games, the ICC has implemented different playing conditions if the matches needed to be shortened.