Reports | Barbados airport incident sparks major concerns for South African players and ICC officials

06/28/2024

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The ongoing T20 World Cup faces multiple challenges. Rain has washed out several matches, and logistical issues like flight delays have added to the difficulties. The South African team recently faced significant travel issues, struggling to get from Trinidad to Barbados for their final match.

‌An unfortunate event has affected the South African players, their families, and ICC officials. The group was stuck at Trinidad Airport for six hours because a small private aircraft failed to land at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados.

As per a report by ESPNcricinfo quoting the Barbados airport authorities, “It appeared that the landing gear of the private aircraft did not deploy, but it is currently on the runway at GAIA [Grantley Adams International Airport] safely”.

Just as the Proteas were about to board their flight, the pilot was informed of the runway closure in Bridgetown, causing an unexpected delay.

This wasn't the first instance of a team facing such an issue in the T20 World Cup 2024. Previously, Sri Lanka had to endure an entire night at the airport while travelling from Florida to New York. Recently, Afghanistan experienced flight delays before arriving in Trinidad for their semi-final clash against South Africa.

South Africa is all set to face India for the title clash on Saturday at Barbados.