Hope lambastes CWI for decision not to host regional or international games at Kensington Oval

2026-03-25 - 16:44

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – President of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), Calvin Hope, has strongly criticised Cricket West Indies (CWI) for its decision not to hold any first-class or international matches at Kensington Oval in 2026. Kensington, commonly referred to as ‘The Mecca’, will not host any of the four Tests, six One Day Internationals (ODI) or six T20Is scheduled to be played between June and August during home series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Pakistan later this year. Those matches will be held in Jamaica, Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. Speaking during a press conference to announce the Barbados Pride squad for the upcoming Four-Day Championships in Jamaica, Hope said he was shocked by the move. “Any first-class or international cricket being played in Barbados is welcomed. Cricket fans in Barbados deserve, our members of the BCA deserve to have the opportunity to watch and witness cricket live on the island. “It is extremely disappointing that Cricket West Indies has found whatever method they are using not to schedule cricket in Barbados,” Hope said. He also disagreed with CWI’s decision to drastically shorten the competition, describing it as a step in the wrong direction. “In my view, it is appalling that our regional cricket has been put under distress. That’s what I call it, because everything is being cut. “If you want to be competitive, you have to look very carefully at what produces that competitiveness...I think we are going in the wrong direction, and something needs to be relooked at the whole operations of CWI,” Hope charged. CMC