Iconic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup trophy arrives in Guyana, thousands gather to welcome

Guyana: The iconic trophy of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup arrived in Guyana for the final leg of the festive trophy tour ahead of the WC2024. Thousands have gathered at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to welcome the trophy and showcase the unique culture and warmth during the arrival.

Firstly, President Irfaan Ali received the trophy at State House on Wednesday evening with the grand welcoming ceremony, which was also joined by Minister of Culture- Charles Romson, former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, current players Kevin Sinclair, Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Tevin Imlach, President of the Guyana Cricket Board Bisoondyal Singh, among other athletes and officials.

He also spoke during the welcoming ceremony and encouraged Guyanese to come in large numbers and support the West Indies. The president also invited the patrons to get their tickets early, and the ceremony also hosted children from orphanages and others who are differently abled by the First Lady.

The trophy tour in Guyana will involve packed activities featuring cultural performances and events to showcase the traditions of the country. After the state house, the trophy will head to the majestic Kaieteur Falls along with the tournament ambassadors.

In the third event, President Irfaan Ali and cabinet members are expected to have the opportunity after which there will be two public engagements. After that, the trophy will be presented at St George’s Cathedral from 13: 00hrs, where school children will be given a chance to interact with the national cricketers and the trophy.

From 17: 00hrs, the trophy will head to Kingston Seawall Esplanade for a massive fan engagement, where fans will be given a chance to win tickets. The trophy have received cultural welcome with the performance of several local artistes and musicians, showcasing true colours of Guyana.

Cricket fans have gathered at the airport to welcome the trophy, indicating the eagerness among the people about the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which will take place in the countries of the Caribbean.

Guyana will host the group matches from June 2 to 8, 2024, at Providence, and it will host two semi-final matches on June 27, 2024. President Irfaan Ali stated that the Caribbean produces the best hosting environment due to the region’s vibes, passion, and crowd involvement.

From June 1 to 29, 2024, a total of 45 matches will be played in the United States and the Caribbean countries such as Antigua, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, Barbados, Guyana, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Notably, the Caribbean leg of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy tour kickstarted on April 12, 2024 and the first stop was Barbados where the final of the tournament will take place on June 29, 2024.

The trophy traveled to Barbados from April 12 to 20, 2024, with their midway stops at Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia. After that, the trophy also returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana between May 16 to 24, 2024.

The international launch of the trophy tour officially began in the USA, which was lit up by USA player Ali Khan and two-time T20 World Cup winner Chris Gayle. The six venues of the West Indies have been organized to host the tournament, and the World Cup represents once in a lifetime opportunity for the Caribbean.

Thousands of people have gathered to witness glimpses of the trophy at several places, showcasing the unique culture of the Caribbean region.