Dominica has pulled out of hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 citing its inability to finish the work related to the practice and match venues before the commencement of the marquee tournament.
The eagerly-awaited multi-national tournament is going to be jointly hosted by the USA and seven countries in the Caribbean. Dominica was announced as one of the seven countries to play as hosts. Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago are the other six.
As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Dominica government has come to the conclusion of pulling out as host after a careful consideration of the pace at which the work is being carried out at Windsor Park – one of the venues for the showpiece event.
“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.
“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.
“In light of Dominica’s sterling reputation in hosting international cricket, this decision is considered to be in the best interest of all. The Government of Dominica thanks Cricket West Indies (CWI) for its partnership over the years and looks forward to continued collaboration in the future. The Government of Dominica extends best wishes to the organisers for a successful tournament in June 2024,” it added.