There’s terror threat to T20 World Cup, reveals Trinidad PM; ICC says robust security plan in place

PORT OF SPAIN, May 6:

The T20 World Cup in the Americas has received a terror threat, Trinidad’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has revealed even as the ICC asserted that a “comprehensive and robust security plan” is in place to “mitigate any risks” to the showpiece beginning June 1.

The tournament — featuring 20 teams, including India — is scattered across nine venues, six of them in the West Indies.

As of now, the threat, according to media reports, is specific to the West Indies, which aside from some preliminary matches, will be hosting the entire Super 8 stage along with the semifinals and the final on June 29.

“Unfortunately, the threat of terrorism in its many and varied expressions is an ever-present danger in the world of the 21st century,” Rowley was quoted as saying by ‘Trinidad Daily Express’ here.

Rowley did not name any organisation but reports here stated that the Islamic State made the threat through its propaganda channel.

The ICC responded to the development with a statement assuring preparedness.

“Safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” a spokesperson of the global body said in a statement issued to PTI.

“We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event.”

Rowley said “extra effort in national security preparations and response readiness” will be put in to neutralise the danger.

“Given the fact that bad actors can choose to misbehave in any way possible, it makes it virtually impossible to completely seal off all opportunities,” he said.

“However, in order to ameliorate these dangers, we at the local and regional levels have remained alert to many threats and singularly or together have our intelligence and other security agencies working to protect the population in countries and at venues throughout the tournament,” he added.

The World Cup matches in the West Indies will be held in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. The US leg will feature games in Florida, New York and Texas.

New York will host the marquee India-Pakistan clash on June 9.

Cricket West Indies said everything is being done to ensure foolproof security at the mega-event. (PTI)

“We work closely with authorities in the host countries and cities, and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event,” CWI CEO Jonny Graves told ‘Cricbuzz’.

  “We want to assure all stakeholders that safety and security of everyone at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place,” he added. (PTI)

Match Date Time (IST)
USA vs Canada Sun Jun 2, 2024 06:00 AM
West Indies vs Papua New Guinea Sun Jun 2, 2024 08:00 PM
Namibia vs Oman Mon Jun 3, 2024 06:00 AM
Sri Lanka vs South Africa Mon Jun 3, 2024 08:00 PM
Afghanistan vs Uganda Tue Jun 4, 2024 06:00 AM
England vs Scotland Tue Jun 4, 2024 08:00 PM
Netherlands vs Nepal Tue Jun 4, 2024 09:00 PM
India vs Ireland Wed Jun 5, 2024 08:00 PM
Papua New Guinea vs Uganda Thu Jun 6, 2024 05:00 AM
Australia vs Oman Thu Jun 6, 2024 06:00 AM
USA vs Pakistan Thu Jun 6, 2024 09:00 PM
Namibia vs Scotland Fri Jun 7, 2024 12:30 AM
Canada vs Ireland Fri Jun 7, 2024 08:00 PM
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Sat Jun 8, 2024 05:00 AM
Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh Sat Jun 8, 2024 06:00 AM
Netherlands vs South Africa Sat Jun 8, 2024 08:00 PM
Australia vs England Sat Jun 8, 2024 10:30 PM
West Indies vs Uganda Sun Jun 9, 2024 06:00 AM
India vs Pakistan Sun Jun 9, 2024 08:00 PM
Oman vs Scotland Sun Jun 9, 2024 10:30 PM
South Africa vs Bangladesh Mon Jun 10, 2024 08:00 PM
Pakistan vs Canada Tue Jun 11, 2024 08:00 PM
Sri Lanka vs Nepal Wed Jun 12, 2024 05:00 AM
Australia vs Namibia Wed Jun 12, 2024 06:00 AM
USA vs India Wed Jun 12, 2024 08:00 PM
West Indies vs New Zealand Thu Jun 13, 2024 06:00 AM
Bangladesh vs Netherlands Thu Jun 13, 2024 08:00 PM
England vs Oman Fri Jun 14, 2024 12:30 AM
Afghanistan vs Papua New Guinea Fri Jun 14, 2024 06:00 AM
USA vs Ireland Fri Jun 14, 2024 08:00 PM
South Africa vs Nepal Sat Jun 15, 2024 05:00 AM
New Zealand vs Uganda Sat Jun 15, 2024 06:00 AM
India vs Canada Sat Jun 15, 2024 08:00 PM
Namibia vs England Sat Jun 15, 2024 10:30 PM
Australia vs Scotland Sun Jun 16, 2024 06:00 AM
Pakistan vs Ireland Sun Jun 16, 2024 08:00 PM
Bangladesh vs Nepal Mon Jun 17, 2024 05:00 AM
Sri Lanka vs Netherlands Mon Jun 17, 2024 06:00 AM
New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea Mon Jun 17, 2024 08:00 PM
West Indies vs Afghanistan Tue Jun 18, 2024 06:00 AM