PORT-OF-SPAIN – The 2013 Caribbean Twenty20 tournament got off to a colourful start with a carnival-like opening ceremony at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday.
There was a parade of players from the seven teams, with the loudest cheers heard when the players from home team Trinidad and Tobago danced across the stage – led by skipper Denesh Ramdin and all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.
The audience included West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Julian Hunte and local and regional cricket officials as well as senior officials of the government of Trinidad and Tobago and officials of the West Indies Players Association.
The event climaxed with lively entertainment by calypsonians Kes, Rikki Jai and Chucky Gordon as well as a cultural presentation from Dance Theatre.
WICB chief executive officer Michael Muirhead delivered the opening remarks in which he hailed the organisers for their hard work and the government of Trinidad and Tobago for its continued commitment to the game.
“The WICB has invested heavily in this tournament, particularly in the television broadcast, to ensure fans throughout the Caribbean and other parts of the world can see, live and in living colour via ESPN, the tremendous talent which is in our region,” he said.
“In the next two weeks here in Trinidad and in St Lucia, we will have some of the finest players in the world competing in this tournament, entertaining us and showcasing the most exciting brand of cricket anywhere.”
Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Sport Anil Roberts lauded the sensational performance by the West Indies team in winning the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka last year and also called for continued support of West Indies cricket at all levels.
“Congrats to the WICB and to captain Darren Sammy and the West Indies team. Well done to everyone – to the players, the coaches, the managers – who performed at the World T20 to bring pride back to West Indies cricket,” he said.
Reigning champions Trinidad and Tobago were scheduled to meet Jamaica in the opening match of the tournament last night.
Today’s double-header brings together Barbados and Leeward Islands at 4 p.m. and Guyana and Combined Campuses and Colleges at 8 p.m.
(WICB Media/HG)
