New Delhi: It is indeed a sigh of relief that India’s World Cup-winning heroes are finally set to leave Barbados and fly back home aboard a charter flight on Tuesday evening after the country’s Prime Minister Mia Mottley shared a crucial update. Mottley said that she expects the airport there to become operational in the next few hours, ending the lockdown forced by a hurricane named “Beryl”.
The whole of Indian contingent including Rohit Sharma and Co., the support staff, some BCCI officials, and the players’ families were left stranded after the category 4 hurricane hit the nation on Monday. It has been three days since India’s World Cup triumph and the team is yet to arrive home. The Men in Blue beat South Africa in the final by seven runs to lift the elite title.
According to a PTI source, the contingent is expected to leave Bridgetown at 6 PM (local time) and land in Delhi on Wednesday at 7.45 PM (IST). The arrival will be followed by felicitation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the schedule of which has not yet been finalised.
Another hurricane approaching: Mottley
Mottley shared an update on the current situation after strong winds and storms lashed the island nation, leading to the suspension of airport operations and the announcement of a lockdown in a country with a population close to three lakh.
“I don’t want to speak in advance of it, but I’ve literally been in touch with the airport personnel and they’re doing their last checks now and we want to resume normal operations as a matter of urgency,” Mottley, who has been overseeing relief operations, told PTI.
“There are a number of people who were due to leave yet last night late or today or tomorrow morning. And we want to make sure that we can facilitate those persons, so I would anticipate that within the next six to 12 hours that the airport will be open,” she said.
“(We have) been working to ensure that everyone is safe in Barbados, Barbadians and all of the visitors, of course, who came for the cricket World Cup. We were very blessed that the storm did not come on land.” She further spoke of the damages caused by the hurricane and to clean them up in the recovery process.
The window to depart from Bridgetown is a narrow one as Mottley revealed that “we have another hurricane coming on Wednesday.” She hoped that despite the dangerous hurricane, the Indians who had stayed put at their hotel would be in huge spirits, having ended an 11-year-long wait for an ICC title.
“I’m sure that in spite of the passage of the hurricane, they would have been in very, very, very good mood and spirit and to win in the manner that they won on Saturday. I think they will be floating on air for a little time,” she added.
A strong hurricane named Beryl hit Barbados on Sunday after which the country was completely shutdown including the airport which barred World Cup winners Team India to fly back home and remain stuck in the Caribbean. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
