Spooner, the tournament’s global media operations Manager, acknowledged the early problems, but said efforts were made to rectify the issues, as cricket fans flocked the venues to secure tickets for the highly-anticipated June 1-29 tournament, to be hosted in the Caribbean and United States.
To celebrate 30 days to go to the start of the tournament, box offices were opened on Thursday until the end of the event across the six host locations -Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua Recreation Ground; Barbados: Kensington Oval; Guyana: Guyana Cricket Board Office; Saint Lucia: Daren Sammy Cricket Ground; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Commercial Centre, and Trinidad and Tobago: Queen’s Park Oval and National Cricket Centre -in the West Indies.
“We apologise to the members of the public for the challenges that they faced, but we are very happy to see people coming out because it shows the level of interest, and this is a tremendous first day of operations.
“People want to be part of this event and they are participating meaningfully. We are very happy about that. We will put everything in place that needs to be put in place for our customers, our fans, who are the biggest supporters of the games,” Spooner said in an interview with Barbados Today.
“So far, the atmosphere has been amazing; there has been a lot of attention to the tournament globally, it is literally out of this world. We had the launch of the amazing anthem and the music video with Sean Paul and Kes, two of the best and most visible global artists in the region. We are very happy with that aspect of how things are going. The preparations of the fields and pitches have also been good, obviously, there is still work to be done as we are a month away, but we are where we want to be,” he added.
It is now two wins in two for Afghanistan, who enjoyed another impressive opening stand as Rahmanullah Gurbaz plundered 80 off 56 balls, including five fours and five boundaries, with Ibrahim Zardan adding 44.
Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for 22 saw Afghanistan stumble, but with a respectable 159-6, it was always going to be hard for New Zealand to chase.
The 2021 runners-up could not find their footing, with only two of their players reaching double figures – Glenn Phillips top-scored with 18.
They stumbled to 75 all out in just 15.2 overs, suffering their first T20 international defeat to Afghanistan, and they drop to the bottom of Group C.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh survived a scare to make a winning start to their campaign, getting a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Dallas.
Pathum Nissanka impressed with 47 off just 28 balls, but a flurry of late wickets saw Sri Lanka stumble to 124-9 after a strong start.
Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with both openers being dismissed in the first two overs. However, after Towhid Hridoy's 40, and Liton Das' 36, Mahmudullah's 16 not out helped them over the line at the end of the 19th over.
Data Debrief: Dominant Afghanistan strike again
Afghanistan have opened an ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins for just the second time, last doing so in 2016. They have now won their last four T20Is, their longest streak since 2022.
Gurbaz hit 50 for the second game in a row, improving on his 76 runs in their win over Uganada with 80 in this win.
With matches against the West Indies and New Zealand to come in Group C, Jonathan Trott's side were quick out of the blocks in Guyana.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (76) and Ibrahim Zadran (70) led the way with an impressive opening stand of 154 after 14.3.overs.
However, Afghanistan collapsed somewhat later on, adding just 29 more runs as they finished at 183-5.
Nevertheless, they were quick to ensure Uganda were unable to build any momentum. Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Ronak Patel and Roger Mukasa in consecutive deliveries during the first over.
Indeed, it was a true baptism of fire for the T20 World Cup debutants, who were bowled out for just 58 with four overs still remaining.
Data Debrief
Afghanistan set the tone with a fast start in Georgetown. Zadran and Gurbaz's opening stand of 154 was the second-highest in T20 World Cup history, behind only the 170 of England's Jos Buttler and Alex Hales against India two years ago.
Farooqi then took centre stage in the field, claiming his first five-wicket haul in T20Is and conceding just nine runs - four of which came from his first ball. His 5-9 was the fourth-highest figure in tournament history.
Lynch’s confirmation came during a media tour of the venue, which will host nine matches, including the June 29 final.
“Kensington Oval has never looked as good as it does right now. The field, in particular, is in its best condition ever, and those who have played on it are nodding in agreement,” Lynch opined.
Though some finishing touches are still being applied, Lynch praised the dedication and hard work of the curators and groundsmen, as he declared the Oval is ready to host cricket matches.
“We are not boasting, but we are ready. We’re 95 per cent to 99 per cent ready,” he declared.
The infrastructural improvements to the Oval include upgrades to the bathroom facilities, the inclusion of a three-tier hospitality suite, upgrades to the media centre and the erection of a temporary stand with a 2,500 seating capacity.
Aside from the World Cup, Lynch pointed out that they are also engaging the local community through the KOMI Good Neighbor Programme. The programme focuses on involving residents from nearby areas, providing them with job opportunities related to the Oval’s upkeep.
“This isn’t just about the World Cup; it’s about an ongoing, sustainable programme,” Lynch said.
“We have walked every avenue in Pickwick Gap, gone house to house with the member of parliament, and engaged with the community directly,” he added.
Finally, there will be an open house on Wednesday, where Barbadians and visitors are invited to get a firsthand look on the upgraded Oval ahead of the World Cup. Gates will open at 1:00pm.
The 29-year-old, who has not played competitive cricket since May due to a long-term elbow injury, could make his first appearance for the international team since a tour of Bangladesh in March 2023.
Archer has been limited to just 15 T20Is since his England debut in 2019 and missed their 2022 World Cup success in Australia due to the same injury.
There is a recall for fellow fast-bowler Chris Jordan, who last played for England against New Zealand in September 2023, at the expense of Chris Woakes.
Uncapped Lancashire left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley, is also named in Jos Buttler’s 15-man squad, which includes nine players from the 2022 World Cup.
England will play a four-match T20 series against Pakistan at Headingley in May before they begin their T20 World Cup title defence against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June.
England’s provisional squad:
Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, To Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingston, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.
England successfully chased down their target of 181 with 15 balls to spare thanks to dominant batting from Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow.
Salt scored 87 not out, including a 30-run over, while Bairstow's 48 not out saw them over the line after losing two wickets to get off to a winning start in the Super 8s.
After mixed results in the group stage, Buttler was pleased with the commanding performance of his team, praising the batters for their smart display.
"That was a really good performance from us," Buttler said at the post-match presentation. "We planned really well. We've been practising well and executed both with the bat and ball and deserved to win.
"I thought we bowled really well to restrict such a powerful batting line-up, such great six-hitters especially. [It was a] decent score, and you had to play well to chase it down.
"I thought we were very smart with the bat. Guys were very calculated when they took their options on. The Bairstow and Salt partnership was so good. Jonny came in with great intent and took the momentum straight back. Salty tucked in behind him for a bit and when he got that one big over, he broke the back of it.
"[Bairstow] is a class player, he has been for a really long time. That's what we decided to do, you just keep backing class players.
"He hasn't had many opportunities but today was an incredibly impressive innings. A really mature, senior player's innings. With a lot of power, he scored at a great gear when the game was just in the balance.
"A lot of people say you learn when you lose, but I truly believe you learn when you win as well. [It is] important to reflect on what we did well today. We had a good performance, put that to bed and focus on the next performance."
England's opening game was washed out against Scotland before they lost to Australia in the second, but back-to-back wins against Oman and Namibia were enough for them to qualify for the Super 8s.
Salt, on the back of his best run-tally in the tournament so far, is confident England have found their footing as they prepare to face South Africa on Friday.
"Tournament cricket, in my experience, is all about having the confidence and momentum at the same time - and having a little bit of luck here and there," Salt said.
"If we can just keep building on that game by game, we'll be in a pretty good spot."
It was not the best start for Canada in the power play, but they soon found their rhythm when Barbados-born Nicholas Kirton and Shreyas Movva came into the fold, scoring 49 and 37 respectively, before Barry McCarthy got them both out in his 2-24.
They fizzled out shortly after, finishing with 137-7, though it soon became clear an upset was on the cards as Ireland stumbled to 59-6 in the 13th over, thanks to Canada's impressive bowling.
A strong display from George Dockrell (30 not out) and Mark Adair (34), paired with fielding mistakes, set up a nervy finish. However, Adair was then taken by Jeremy Gordon (2-16) in the final over to ensure Ireland would finish short of their target with 125-7.
Ireland stay bottom of Group A with no points, while Canada are right in the mix, level on two with Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Scotland continued their strong start to the World Cup with their first win of the tournament, a five-wicket victory over Namibia on Thursday to move them top of Group B.
Data Debrief: History made for Canada
Before this game, Canada had lost each of their last five men's T20Is; they had lost only four of their 23 games prior to this run in the format (W18 T1). However, that run has now ended in perfect fashion.
For just the second time, Ireland have lost their opening two games in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup; only in 2016 did they do the same in a single edition of the tournament.
Not only do Bangladesh take one step closer to the Super 8s with their emphatic victory, but they also ensure Sri Lanka are knocked out, while the Netherlands need a string of results to go in their favour.
The Tigers looked to be up against it after the Netherlands' strong start, as Liton Das made an early exit for just one run thanks to Sybrand Engelbrecht's diving catch.
However, Tanzid Hassan hit 35 off 26 balls, while Shakib Al Hasan plundered an impressive 64 not out, effectively taking control of the game.
Mahmudullah's 25 just about saw them over the line before Jaker Ali closed with 14 not out to see them to 159-5.
The Netherlands soon found their stride after losing two early wickets of their own and looked to be comfortably chasing down their target through Vikramjit Singh (26) and Engelbrecht (33).
Rishad Hossain soon intervened for Bangladesh though, finishing on 3-33 as the Flying Dutchmen lost four middle-order wickets for six runs and finished with 134-8.
Data Debrief: Bangladesh just too strong
Bangladesh narrowly missed out on a win against high-flying South Africa in their last game, but a win like this is exactly what they needed to get back on track.
Al Hasen was the standout, making a marked improvement on his three runs from the defeat to South Africa with a superb knock of 64 off 46 balls, including nine fours.
The LOC, in a media conference at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair on Tuesday, provided an update on their preparations ahead of the June 1-29 tournament, which is being co-hosted by the Caribbean and the United States. The Brian Lara Cricket Academy, in Tarouba, will host five matches in the tournament, including four group matches and the first semifinal.
Haresh Ragoonath, venue and facilities manager for the T20 World Cup, said the refurbishing of the venue should be wrapped up within the next three weeks.
“The needs for the tournament are so great, when the facility was built it was not designed for T20 cricket as it is modernised so much right now. The commercial aspect of cricket has grown so much," Ragoonath told T&T Newsday.
Ragoonath pointed out that the adjustments are being made at the North media tower at the venue, with the installation of eastern and western wings set to see the venue comfortably accommodating over 120 media personnel.
“It’s about 95 per cent completed already. It should be completed in the next ten to 12 days in time for the tournament," he shared.
Perhaps, more importantly, to add to the atmosphere and ambience in the stadium, Ragoonath said there will be more seating to accommodate approximately 2,400 more spectators, thus turning the already 15,000-seater into a 17,000-plus capacity venue.
“There were a couple of areas we identified that had no seats, so we are going to increase the seating capacity of the stadium – all the sections," he explained.
“This has already started and will be completed in the next 20 days as well. The additional capacity will be increasing by about 2,400," Ragoonath noted.
Having beaten West Indies and lost to South Africa thus far in the Super 8s, England can all but secure a semi-final berth with a convincing win over the co-hosts in Barbados.
A good run-rate could prove pivotal in Group 2, where there is a chance of England, South Africa and West Indies all finishing on four points.
With that in mind, Brook has backed Jos Buttler's team to go on the offensive, saying: "We've got to win and then obviously see how we are on net run-rate but the main thing is to definitely get that win.
"We've played in Barbados quite a lot in the past six months so we know the conditions, we know the wind and the pitch as well so hopefully we can go out there and give them a good battering.
"I haven't actually seen them play, just a few highlights here and there of their bowlers, but we'll do our analysis and have a proper look to make sure we're ready for the game."
Net run-rate was the only thing that helped England survive the group stage, as they narrowly edged out Scotland to finish second behind Australia.
"We've been there before," Brook added. "We've got to concentrate on winning it first and then we'll have a chat and see what the run-rate says."
After England won the 2019 ODI World Cup in epic fashion by beating New Zealand in a Super Over at Lord's, their defence of the title in India last year saw them fail to advance from the group stage.
With England looking to put in a better defence of their T20 World Cup crown in the upcoming tournament in the West Indies and the United States which gets under way in June, Buttler says he was always going to remain limited-overs captain, though he acknowledges he made mistakes in India.
"My first priority at the moment is being England captain and trying to prepare as best we can for a world tournament," Buttler told Sky Sports. "So I always said to Rob [Key, England managing director] I would definitely be coming back as England captain, and he's made the call on the rest of the players.
"It's a chapter in the book. It was obviously a really disappointing World Cup, and your pride's dented, your confidence gets dented a bit, but time moves on and there's a really exciting opportunity now.
"I think sometimes you try and let players play with freedom and you don't want to step in too much but making sure you don't miss things.
"Maybe more communication at times to make sure people are clear on what is needed from them, on what they want from me or the coach."
England were due to kick off a four-match T20I warm-up series against Pakistan at Headingley on Wednesday, but the game was abandoned because of rain without a ball having been bowled.
England will get their T20I World Cup under way when they face Scotland in Barbados on June 4.
Buttler feels some of the newer faces in the England squad have the potential to lead the team to an improved showing on what was seen in India, saying: "I think we've got a really nice, blended squad, actually. We've got a lot of experience but some guys who are really on the upward curve with the likes of Phil Salt, Will Jacks.
"Harry Brook is still very early in his international career and those guys I really see trending in the right direction and pushing this team forward."
South Africa registered their second-most productive powerplay in the tournament so far, with Quinton de Kock proving invaluable with 49 runs during that time.
In England's powerplay, they managed to get just 41 runs, their lowest such tally of the year, and though they pushed late on, they came up just short in the chase.
Buttler admitted that in hindsight, it was South Africa's start that cost England in the end, despite giving themselves a reachable target.
"I'd say it was lost in the powerplay," Buttler said. "Quinton de Kock came out and played with really good intent, and we couldn't really match that. I think we were about 20 behind them at the end of our first six.
"The wicket did slow up, which allowed us to pull it back in the middle, and we were happy to be chasing 160. But yeah, that innings was the difference.
"It's still a good pitch but a little slower than we probably expected. I'm proud of how we responded with the ball after their good powerplay, and Brook and Livingstone had an excellent partnership there to take us so close.
"At one stage, we were favourites but T20 cricket is never that simple, and credit to South Africa for closing it out.
"We know we're still in it. We played well today; we just didn't quite get over the line."
De Kock, who finished on 65, was named Player of the Match for his impressive turn – he equalled the fastest half-century of the tournament (22 balls, level with USA's Aaron Jones), and broke his own record for the most runs in a powerplay by a South Africa batter at a men's T20 World Cup.
South Africa remain unbeaten in the tournament so far and have put themselves in a good position to qualify for the semi-finals, and De Kock was pleased with how they got the win on Friday.
"My plan was to just bat as long as I can and score as many runs I can," De Kock said. "That was pretty much it. I don't really carry or lose confidence; I just get on with my game. So that is what I focused on.
"I thought we bowled really well, especially in the powerplay. We controlled it really nicely. Overall, we were pretty solid and to defend on 160 on a decent pitch is a good effort."
While the primary focus of the discussions centred on the forthcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, parallel considerations of future plans were also tabled. This encompasses collaborative efforts to enhance cricket in both the West Indies and the USA. In addition, the prospect of sustaining a partnership with Worldwide Sports Enterprise (WSE) garnered a favorable reception from officials. President Shallow expressed, “I am heartened by the enthusiasm displayed by key stakeholders in the USA. Broward County and the City of Lauderhill are fully committed, and collective endeavours are underway to ensure the resounding success of this monumental event.”
He also acknowledged the pivotal role played by WSE in realizing this opportunity, commending their critical partnership in fostering cricket's growth in Broward Count Broward County Commissioner Hazelle Roger eagerly anticipates hosting the World Cup, stating, “I am excited at the opportunity to showcase Broward excellence and hospitality to the world, as we work towards being World Cup ready!
We are eagerly awaiting the announcements of the scheduled games to be played at Broward Central Regional Park.” Mayor Ken Thurston of the City of Lauderhill echoed similar sentiments, expressing, “The City Of Lauderhill has been envisioning this day for well over two decades. We are honored the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is coming to the United States and especially to Central Broward Park and Stadium in Lauderhill. We look forward to all the matches and festivities surrounding this spectacular tournament. In addition, we look forward to creating unforgettable memories with the guests, players, families, and friends that will make the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup one of the most memorable of all time.”
In addition to President Shallow, Commissioner Rogers, and Mayor Thurston, participants at the meetings included Jeff Miller from WSE, senior management of Visit Lauderdale, and senior officials from Broward County Parks and Recreation. In August 2023, a multitude of spectators experienced the climax of a thrilling T20I series at Broward County Stadium, where West Indies emerged triumphant over India. The matches were co-hosted by CWI and WSE. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 match schedule is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, following the ICC board meetings in India in November 2023.
The initiative which CWI says forms part of its corporate social responsibility efforts. The regional body provided 2,685 tickets to students, 412 to teachers, and 198 tickets to players from the Under-15, Under-17 and Uner-19 teams, ensuring these young athletes have the chance to experience top-tier cricket action.
The Schools Ticketing Programme, a central element of this initiative, is designed to immerse young minds in the thrill of cricket, offering them the opportunity to witness international matches and develop a lasting passion for the sport.
CWI President, Dr. Kishore Shallow, underscored the importance of cultivating a strong cricket culture across the region, and this he said reflects his administration’s ongoing commitment to youth engagement and sports development.
"We are keen to help revitalize cricket in Jamaica. Introducing the children to cricket is vital for the future of the sport in Jamaica and the entire region. By bringing students to these matches, we are not only providing them with an enjoyable experience but also nurturing an appreciation and love for cricket that can grow with them,” Shallow said.
"This Schools Ticketing Programme initiative is about more than just watching a game; it's about creating a connection with the sport that can inspire future generations,” he added.
Recently-elected Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President Dr. Donovan Bennett, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative and its potential impact.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with CWI for this Schools Ticketing Programme. This initiative promotes cricket and instils values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance in our young people," he said.
"By exposing students to live cricket matches, they are getting a deeper understanding and appreciation for the game. This experience is invaluable for their personal and athletic development,” Dr. Bennett noted.
West Indies won Thursday’s first game by 28 runs. The remaining two matches of the series are scheduled for Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 at the same venue. Start time is 2:00pm.
Bassarath's declaration follows that of West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, who has led the charge of trying to get Narine back to the regional setup ahead of the June 1-29 global showpiece.
Narine, 35, confirmed his retirement from the international game last November. However, after a stellar 56-ball 109 for Kolkota Knight Riders (KKR) against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL tie on April 16, Powell said he’s been trying to coax Narine to rejoin the squad for the past year “but he’s blocked out everyone.”
At the same time, the Jamaican revealed that he sought the assistance of Nicholas Pooran and retired international stars Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo to convince their compatriot to return. Former maroon fast bowler Tony Gray also believes Narine would be a welcomed addition to Darren Sammy's side to challenge for a third T20 World Cup title.
West Indies won the 2012 and 2016 editions of the tournament.
After KKR's IPL win against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 14, Narine when asked about the possibility of returning to the West Indies team by former West Indies teammate Samuel Badree, pointed out that “I will be watching from home, Badree.”
However, Narine in another interview on Tuesday, appeared to soften his stance about making the proverbial U-turn, when he said, “It is what it is, but we'll have to see what the future holds.”
Bassarath explained that he has tried unsuccessfully to make contact with Narine, but he intends to keep at it.
“I haven’t spoken to him [Narine], and he hasn’t spoken to me. Everybody is asking for him to change his mind and come represent West Indies, at least for this last chance. It is my intention to give him a shout, and if I have to beg him to come back and make himself available to play in this tournament. Because this is what the people need," he said in a T&T Newsday article.
Bassarath, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) president Bassarath also revealed that he reached out to Queen’s Park Cricket Club president Nigel Camacho – Narine’s domestic club – for help.
“I have also spoken to the QPCC president, and he indicated to me that he will also reach out to Sunil to see if he can change his mind to come on board," he shared.
West Indies are set to open their T20 World Cup campaign against Papa New Guinea in Guyana, on June 2. Afghanistan, New Zealand, and Uganda are the other teams in the group.
Opener De Kock smashed 74 runs from just 40 balls and captain Aiden Markram added 46 for the Proteas as their top order finally fired after enduring a difficult start to the tournament.
Even though Harmeet Singh (2-24) removed De Kock and David Miller (0) in consecutive balls in the 13th over, Heinrich Klaasen (36 not out) and Tristan Stubbs (20no) helped South Africa to a healthy 194-4 in Antigua.
USA fell to 76-5 just after the midway point of their innings as it looked like a chase of 195 would fall flat, but a magnificent partnership of 91 from 43 balls between Andries Gous and Harmeet took USA to within 28 of their target with two overs to spare.
However, Rabada took the crucial wicket of Harmeet for 38 and killed the contest as his 19th over went for that wicket and just two runs, capping a fine bowling display that saw him finish with figures of 3-18 from four overs.
Gous batted on and finished with an impressive unbeaten 80 off 47 balls, but USA fell short as South Africa maintained their 100 per cent record in the competition so far.
Data Debrief: De Kock and Gous impress
After USA won the toss and elected to field before removing Reeza Hendricks (11) in the third over, they sensed an opportunity to seize control.
But De Kock had other ideas, smashing three successive sixes as South Africa scored a huge 28 off the fourth over to seize momentum they did not relinquish from there.
De Kock’s superb innings included five maximums and seven fours until he was finally removed by Harmeet in the 13th over.
As the South Africa star left the field, only three players had recorded a better innings than him in this year's tournament – West Indies' Nicholas Pooran (98), USA's Aaron Jones (94 not out) and Afghanistan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (who has had scores of 80 and 76).
But Gous then immediately topped him with an excellent knock of his own, and the American now has the most runs in the tournament with 182, putting him 15 ahead Gurbaz, who is back in action against India on Thursday.
With their opening match against Scotland having yielded no result, England needed to beat Australia on Saturday to propel themselves into a strong position to progress from Group B.
Yet instead they now find themselves fourth in the group and in need of big wins over Oman and Namibia to stand a chance, while also hoping for a capitulation from Scotland, who are second.
Chasing a target of 202, England were trundling along nicely until Adam Zampa (2-28) dismissed openers Phil Salt (37) and Buttler (42) in the space of two overs.
Will Jacks did not last long as Australia severely dented England's run rate, with the further quickfire dismissals of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali all but ending England's chances.
And when Liam Livingstone was sent packing by Patrick Cummins late in the day, England knew their hopes of making it out of the group have suddenly turned bleak.
No player scored over 50 for either team, though David Warner (39), Mitchell Marsh (35) and Travis Head (34) were the leading lights for Australia with the bat.
Data Debrief: Aussies avoid four straight losses
Australia are now well placed to push on at the T20 World Cup, and getting one over their old rivals in the process is all the sweeter.
England had won six of their last seven completed T20Is against Australia, including their last three in a row, but Marsh's team pulled out the stops to avoid a fourth straight loss.
Zampa, meanwhile, just loves this tournament. He has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 12 innings at the T20 World Cup, including two in each of his last four innings.
Chris Jordan celebrated taking his 100th T20I wicket, but it proved fruitless.
The Dominica Government, through its Sports Ministry, on Thursday pointed out that it is “in the best interest of all” that it withdraws as one of the hosts of the global event set for June 4-30.
“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,” A press release from Dominica’s Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development Administration explained.
“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," it added.
In September of this year, Dominica was listed among seven venues in the Caribbean selected to host matches. Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, are the others. Dominica’s Windsor Park Sports Stadium (WPSS) was shortlisted for one group stage match and two games in the Super 8 stage of the tournament, subject to the attainment of various obligations as 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 release stated.
“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,” the Ministry’s release concluded.
The reigning champions have made a stuttering start to their title defence, losing to the Australians after their opening match against Scotland was rained off.
Jos Buttler's side must now beat Oman and Namibia in their remaining Group B games - while significantly boosting their net run-rate - to stand any chance of advancing to the Super 8s.
However, England would be knocked out on Sunday if Scotland were to beat Australia, who have already qualified for the next phase after winning each of their first three matches.
A narrow Australian win could also dethrone the defending champions, whose elimination Hazlewood admitted would boost his nation's chances of landing a second T20 World Cup crown.
"In this tournament, you potentially come up against England at some stage again, and they're probably one of the top few teams on their day," the fast bowler said.
"We've had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket, so if we can get them out of the tournament, that's in our best interest, as well as probably everyone else's."
"There are a few options there, but to take confidence from winning and winning well, I think that's almost more important than potentially trying to knock someone else out.
"They've still got a lot to do on their behalf as well, so I think it'll become clearer the closer we get to that sort of stuff."
After a washout stopped their first game against Scotland, England lost to Australia and knew that a defeat on Thursday would see them knocked out of the World Cup.
Oman just could not get a foothold with only Shoaib Khan able to reach double figures with 11 as England put in a stellar bowling performance.
Adil Rashid was the standout with his 4-11, but Jofra Archer (3-12) and Mark Wood (3-12) helped to cap the performance as Oman were all out for 47 after 13.2 overs.
With a target of 48, England came out to bat on a mission, with Phil Salt hitting two sixes on the first two balls before being caught.
In the end, it would only take them 19 balls to hit their target, with captain Jos Buttler getting an impressive 24 off eight balls, though it was Jonny Bairstow who got the important four to take them to 50-2.
Data Debrief: England came out on a mission, and smashed it
Oman's tally of just 47 is the fourth-lowest total a team has managed in a T20 World Cup match, while it also proved to be England's best bowling performance in the competition.
With 101 balls remaining following England's successful chase, they set a new World Cup record.
