Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr. Kishore Shallow has responded to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves’ concerns over St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) being excluded from hosting T20 matches against Australia in 2025.
Speaking to ANN, Dr. Shallow clarified that while CWI had intentions of playing the three T20s in SVG, the decision was always contingent on an assessment following the hosting of Bangladesh in December 2024.
“After the assessment, it was determined that it was not feasible to host the games in SVG,” Shallow stated.
One of the primary issues highlighted was accommodation. Shallow explained that Holiday Inn, which was considered as an option, was not sufficient as it only provides breakfast. He pointed out that when SVG hosted Bangladesh, there were difficulties securing meals for the teams.
“We were under the impression that Pitmaster would have been open daily, but that wasn’t the case,” he noted.
Sandals was also considered but posed challenges. “Sandals is an option, but it is quite expensive. They were quoting $800 USD per night. Additionally, staying there would be a disadvantage for the players because Sandals does not cater to children, and most Australian players travel with their families,” Shallow explained.
During the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024, players’ families had stayed at La Vue, which provided a more suitable arrangement.
Despite the setback, Dr. Shallow reaffirmed CWI’s commitment to bringing matches to SVG, acknowledging the passionate local support.
“We would love to bring these matches to SVG because the support we get here is absolutely amazing. You can only get that kind of crowd in Trinidad, Guyana, or Barbados if England is playing,” he said.
Additionally, Shallow revealed that CWI had scheduled matches in May 2025 between the South Africa ‘A’ team and the West Indies ‘A’ team, consisting of two Test matches and three ODIs. However, they were informed that the Arnos Vale field would be unavailable.
This latest development adds to the ongoing debate over SVG’s exclusion from the international fixtures, with government officials and cricket authorities presenting differing views on the feasibility of hosting major games.