… Last ditch attempt to save Florida games
THERE are just three days left for the first of the two Florida T20 Internationals between West Indies and India and there is no indication that the teams are in a position to travel to the United States. As has been reported by Cricbuzz over the last two days, some members of both sides, including players, have not been granted US visas so far..
However, the Cricket West Indies (CWI), the hosts of the matches, has not given up hope and the latest from the Caribbean is that both sides will be flown to Georgetown in Guyana today, when appointments for them have been booked at the American Embassy there. This is the last-ditch attempt to save the Florida games. The rest, a CWI official said, is out of their control.
“The US VISA entry appointments are booked for Wednesday (today) in Guyana. All the relevant applications, etc have been done. Beyond that, we have no control. But we are optimistic,” CWI president Ricky Skerritt told Cricbuzz yesterday.
The two matches in Miami, Florida, are on Saturday and Sunday (August 6 and 7) and the teams hope to reach there by Thursday. The flight time between Georgetown, Guyana, and Miami is about five hours.
Meanwhile, a source from Miami told this website that the plans to host the last two games in Florida are still in place but the CWI is simultaneously making alternative arrangements. The CWI chief refused to discuss his board’s second option but the source said the most likely venue will be Trinidad.
“Let’s keep things at that for now,” Skerritt said when pushed to divulge alternative options. Commercial stakeholders of the series have also been told the same – that there is no need to discuss alternatives at this stage as visas are expected to be approved.
“The CWI will not fly the Indian team to Guyana unless it is not confident of getting the clearance,” the source, fully conversant with the developments, said. The series is level at 1-1 with the third T20I underway at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts, at the time of going to print. (Cricbuzz)
