This was a big problem for the Afghanistan cricketers! The unavailability of halal meat, which was mandatory on their menu, at the Bridgetown hotel forced them to temporarily wear chef’s aprons.
It was a different experience for the Afghans who visited this picturesque seaside city for the T20 World Cup Super Eight match against India as they had enjoyed bountiful Indian hospitality during the 50-over World Cup last year.
Halal meat is available in the Caribbean, but it is not certain that all hotels and restaurants will include it on their menus.
“Halal meat is not available in our hotel. Sometimes we cook ourselves or sometimes we go out. Everything was fine in the last World Cup in India. Halal beef is an issue here. We had it in St Lucia but it is not available at all the venues. A friend arranged it for us and we cooked it ourselves,” a player told PTI.
India got off to a perfect start to the Super 8 stage by defeating Afghanistan by 47 runs at the Kensington Oval on Thursday.
The Super 8s schedule is hectic, with teams playing three matches in different countries with just one day to travel in between – an logistical nightmare in these islands with limited air connectivity.
Another member of the Afghanistan team said the nature of the Super-8 event had also affected preparations.
“There remains uncertainty over flights and training schedules. We are often informed of these at the last minute. We understand that organisers are doing their best to take into account the logistical challenges, which are greater in the Caribbean than elsewhere,” he said.
Afghanistan will next play Australia in St Vincent on Saturday.
Indian fans flock to Caribbean countries
The World Cup caravan has spread from mainland America to the Caribbean countries, but this has not diminished the support for the Indian team.
Although the Kensington Oval ground was half empty during the India-Afghanistan match, most of the people sitting in the stands were wearing blue jerseys.
Some fans from New Zealand and Pakistan were also present there, even though their teams had already been eliminated from the tournament.
The Caribbean’s proximity to the US and Canada has given expatriate Indians the opportunity to travel there. Indians living in the UK have also travelled trans-Atlantic.
“I came here from Toronto. There was no direct contact, so I went to Miami and then came to Barbados. I have tickets for all India matches, I just want a ticket for the final here,” said Paresh, a fan.
Locals across the Caribbean region are also getting in on the frenzy. From taxi drivers to hotel managers, everyone is glued to the tournament and rooting for West Indies to win a record third title.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
