Terror Threat To T20 World Cup From Pakistan, Security Concerns Rise

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has recognized a security warning concerning the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA, scheduled for June 1 to 29. Despite acknowledging the security risks, CWI has affirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of the event. They have stated their intention to collaborate closely with Caribbean nations to address any potential threats and ensure the smooth running of this significant tournament.

According to a report, there was a security threat from Pakistan to the Caribbean Islands, with the aim of inciting violence and disrupting sporting events, as part of the agenda of the Islamic State (IS). The report mentioned that pro-IS media sources have initiated campaigns encouraging violence against sporting events, including video messages from the Afghanistan-Pakistan branch, IS-Khorasan (IS-K). These messages highlighted attacks in various countries and urged supporters to participate in conflicts in their respective nations.

CWI CEO Jonny Graves has provided assurance regarding the safety and security of all stakeholders at the T20 World Cup, stating that they have a comprehensive security plan in place for the tournament.

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Further details in the report indicated that intelligence regarding the security threat originated from the IS propaganda channel Nashir-e-Pakistan.

The tournament is scheduled to be held at six venues in the Caribbean: Antigua and Barbuda, St Lucia, Guyana, Trinidad, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados, as well as three venues in the United States of America: Dallas, Florida, and New York. However, the reported security threat is specifically focused on the Caribbean islands.

During the group stage of the tournament, the hosting duties are shared between the US venues and the Caribbean islands, accommodating 20 teams divided into four groups of five each. Following this phase, the Caribbean islands will exclusively host the Super Eight stage, as well as the semi-finals and the final. The semi-finals are scheduled to take place in Guyana and Trinidad on June 26 and 27, respectively, before the final showdown in Barbados on June 29.

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