Indian Cricket Team's Ordeal Continues, Remains Stranded In Barbados Because Of Hurricane Beryl

The T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team's ordeal has continued, with the entire contingent still stranded in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl. The Rohit Sharma-led team has stayed put in a five-star hotel since its win against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on Saturday. With the hurricane having hit the island hard, it is highly unlikely that the team will be able to fly out anytime soon.According to the forecast, life-threatening winds and storm lashed Barbados and nearby islands on Monday. The nation, with a population of almost three lakh, has been in a lockdown since Sunday evening.The Miami-based hurricane center noted that hurricane-force winds spread out from Beryl's well-defined eye by up to 40 miles, with still-dangerous tropical storm force winds extending outward by another 125 miles, according to a report in Reuters.

Sobering satellite imagery of high-end Category 4 Hurricane #Beryl with max winds of 150 mph making landfall on Carriacou Island (Grenada).

Beryl is the strongest Caribbean hurricane ever recorded this early in the season and its making landfall at peak intensity.

Only one… pic.twitter.com/xivDCwYJnh

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 1, 2024

"Like you people, we are also stuck here. First we need to see how to get the players and everyone out of here safely and then we will think about the felicitation upon arrival in India," BCCI secretary Jay Shah told the media. The Indian team, besides top BCCI officials including Shah, was supposed to leave for India by a charter flight on Monday but it wasn't possible because of the closure of the airport. "There was a charter flight we were trying for Monday but the airport is shut so that option is gone. We are in touch with multiple charter operators but it all depends on the airport operations. As per the current state of affairs, no plane can land or take off," Shah said."The plan is to fly directly to India with a refuelling stop in US or Europe. We are in touch with airport officials. The airport is expected to remain shut till Tuesday afternoon. If the weather improves significantly, then it might open earlier," a source told PTI. Beryl's maximum sustained wind speed had risen to 150 miles per hour by Monday afternoon, with the weather phenomenon located about 65 miles northwest of Grenada."(We have) been working to ensure that everyone is safe in Barbados, Barbadians and all of the visitors, of course, who came for cricket World Cup. We were very blessed that the storm did not come on land," Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley told PTI.