Following their triumphant T20 World Cup victory, the Rohit Sharma-led Team India finds themselves in a precarious situation in Barbados due to the impending Hurricane Beryl. The team is currently stranded at their Hotel Hilton in Barbados, as the hurricane threatens to hit the island with significant risks of flight cancellations.
The team was originally scheduled to depart Barbados on Monday at 11 AM local time (8:30 PM IST), heading to New York, followed by a connecting flight to Dubai and then back to India. However, the approaching hurricane, expected to make landfall around midnight on Sunday or early Monday morning, has forced the Barbadian authorities to take precautionary measures. Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that Grantley Adams International Airport would close by nighttime on Sunday, preventing any flights from landing or taking off.
The team’s hotel, Hilton Barbados Resort, is located close to the coast and is likely to be impacted by the Category 3 hurricane. This could potentially leave the team stranded in Barbados for 36 to 48 hours if they are unable to board their scheduled flight.
According to a report by news agency PTI, the current plan is to arrange a charter flight directly from Barbados to Delhi. This would circumvent the need for the original route through New York and Dubai, ensuring the team’s safe return to India. Additionally, a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being considered once the team is back in the country.
The team and their management are closely monitoring the situation, and further updates will depend on the developments regarding Hurricane Beryl and the reopening of the airport.