In a significant turn of events, Dominica, which was announced as one of the venues for T20 World Cup 2024 set to be played in West Indies and USA, has withdrawn its bid to co-host matches of the marquee tournament. The same was confirmed by the country's Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and Community Development on Thursday (November 30).
The Government reasoned that the infrastructure will not be ready in time to be able to host the matches of the tournament. Notably, the country was proposed to host one group stage match and two more games in the Super 8 stage with the Windsor Park being the designated venue for the fixtures. It remains to be seen where these matches will now be relocated.
Would not be possible to complete infrastuctural work to host T20 World Cup 2024: Dominica Government
"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," an official statement from Dominica government 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," it added.
"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 statement further added.