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Despite giving assurances to the nation, Hon. Samal Duggins, the Minister of Sports, has fallen short on his promise to secure warm-up matches for the federation ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The disappointment comes after St. Kitts and Nevis opted not to bid for any matches in the tournament, leaving cricket enthusiasts hopeful for warm-up fixtures as a consolation.

Earlier statements from Minister Duggins had instilled hope among locals, as he had declared that St. Kitts would indeed host warm-up games, compensating for the absence of official World Cup matches. However, the recent release of the official schedule for the warm-up matches has dashed these hopes, with St. Kitts conspicuously missing from the list of venues.

The confirmed venues for the warm-up matches, scheduled from May 27 to June 1, include prestigious locations such as the Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium in Texas, the Broward County Stadium in Florida, and two venues in Trinidad and Tobago – the Queen’s Park Oval and the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Despite these impressive selections, St. Kitts finds itself excluded from the lineup.

In light of this setback, the St. Kitts Cricket Association (SKCA) and the St. Kitts & Nevis Federal Ministry of Sports have rallied to salvage the situation. An alternative arrangement has been secured, albeit not as grand as initially anticipated. St. Kitts will play host to four international teams – Papua New Guinea, Namibia, Canada, and Afghanistan – for pre-tournament training. These teams arrived on the island on May 12 and will undergo intensive training sessions and engage in friendly practice matches over a 10-day period.

While this alternative arrangement offers some solace to cricket enthusiasts in St. Kitts, the absence of official warm-up matches remains a disappointment. Minister Duggins, despite his earlier assurances, now faces scrutiny and questions regarding the failure to deliver on promises made to the sporting community. As the cricketing world gears up for the T20 World Cup, St. Kitts will undoubtedly be watching closely, hoping for a redemption of sorts amidst the unfulfilled expectations.