THE Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has lost sponsorship of all its youth tournaments.
Board president Azim Bassarath said on April 17 that the backlash from an ongoing administrative dispute with former TTCB treasurer Kiswah Chaitoo and a police investigation into another ex-employee had hampered investors.
Asked if these recent issues had any impact on the board’s relationship with sponsors, Bassarath said they’ve been “severely affected.”
“We have lost all our sponsors for our youth tournaments. Only to say that on that matter. There’s the matter with not only the treasurer, but also the former employee who would have committed an act which is also before the police. But it has severely affected the board’s finances,” he said at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva, on April 17.
The loss of sponsorship stems from Chaitoo’s December 2023 revelation to the board on his findings of the misuse of approximately $500,000 over a five-year period. A TTCB employee has since resigned.
West Indies Captain Hayley Matthews knocked a superb century to lead her team to a 113-run win over Pakistan in the first ODI at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Thursday.
The Windies won the toss and scored 269 for 8 in their 50 overs, with Matthews scoring 140 runs that included 15 fours and a six.
Shemaine Campbelle fell just short of 50, scoring 45, to also boost the West Indies innings.
Matthews then showed up in the bowling for her team, capturing 3 for 17 in 6 overs as the Windies bowled out Pakistan for 156.
Afy Fletcher took 2 for 19 and Zaida James 2 for 14.
The two teams will play their second game of the three-match series on Saturday in Karachi.
FROM 12.30 am on April 18, the West Indies women's team, led by skipper Hayley Matthews, will try to hit the ground running when they face Pakistan in the first of three One-day internationals (ODI) at the National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi.
The 15-member Windies team completed a week-long training camp in Dubai under the watchful eyes of coach Shane Deitz, and they are now applying the final touches to their preparations as they look to take down the hosts.
"We had a great warm-up camp in Dubai. We had a settled week of practice with ODI scenarios, as well as some nets, so we're really ready to play now," Deitz told Cricket West Indies (CWI) media.
"We did some fielding, batting and bowling in the nets. The next few days, we'll switch to more competitive batting and bowling."
Following an extraordinary display of batting prowess by Sunil Narine, scoring his maiden T20 century with 109 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders, West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell is making a compelling case for Narine to come out of retirement and represent the West Indies in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The World T20 is scheduled from June 1-29 in the Caribbean and the United States of America.
Powell’s Rajasthan Royals clinched a thrilling victory over Narine’s Kolkata Knight Riders by two wickets at Eden Gardens on Tuesday, but it was Narine’s exceptional century that captured attention and reignited discussions about his international comeback.
Just days ago, Narine had been adamant about watching the T20 World Cup from home after announcing his retirement from international cricket in November 2023.
However, his post-match remarks on Tuesday hinted at a potential change of heart.
“It is what it is, but let’s see what the future holds,” Narine stated when asked about reconsidering his retirement decision after his stellar performance.
The 2024 Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) will take place in Trinidad & Tobago from 21 to 29 August. The tournament will feature three teams, Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders.
The tournament will feature six group games before the top two teams meet in the final on 29 August. This will be the first time that the WCPL has taken place before the men’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, with the best female talent from across the region and around the world taking part.
The tournament’s host, Trinidad & Tobago, are once again highlighting the sports tourism potential of the country as well as giving extra focus to women’s top level sport.
