Bassarath: Cricket Officials in Barbados Knew

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – Cricket West Indies (CWI) vice-president Azim Bassarath has flatly rejected claims that Barbados was blindsided by the decision to leave Kensington Oval off the 2026 international schedule, insisting that local officials were “in the room and silent” when the move was approved.

Speaking on Isports on i95.5 FM Thursday, Bassarath said the CWI board had resolved months ago to stage the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica and Antigua. He stressed that Barbados’ representatives raised no objection during the meeting that finalised the allocations.

“Everyone knows the situation CWI is in at the present time financially,” Bassarath told host Andre Errol Baptiste. “When the board sat and made the decision that we were going to host New Zealand in Guyana for all the white-ball games, we decided that the Pakistan tour would take place in Trinidad, we decided when Sri Lanka comes that they would play all the white-ball in Jamaica and the two Tests in Antigua…and Barbados’ representatives sat in the meeting and not a word of objection came from them.”

The revelation contradicts public statements by Prime Minister Mia Mottley and Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) president Calvin Hope, both of whom expressed disappointment after learning that the historic venue—known regionally as “The Mecca”—would be idle for the marquee tours.

“So it was very surprising to us to hear afterwards about this talk about no games in Barbados,” Bassarath continued. “At the end of the meeting, we thought that all the board members were happy and they are satisfied with the recommendations made and I think that we went away from the meeting very comfortable, not knowing that a few months down the road that we were going to hear something of that nature.”

CWI has cited cost-containment and infrastructure requirements as key factors in the venue selections, a position Bassarath reiterated while underscoring that every director, including Barbados’, had ample opportunity to challenge the plan before it was ratified.

The vice-president’s comments are likely to intensify scrutiny of internal communication within CWI and fuel debate over whether regional cricket’s financial constraints are being fairly balanced against the sport’s cultural strongholds.