The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) has voiced its approval of Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) process for allocating international and regional matches among member territories.
Claims that CWI acted unfairly or with bias in selecting venues for the 2027 season are without merit and overlook the constraints facing the regional body, TTCB Treasurer Stephen Ramkissoon said in response to recent criticism from Barbados Cricket Association President Calvin Hope.
Hope criticized CWI for not scheduling any international or first-class matches at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown for 2026. That season’s venues instead include Jamaica, Antigua, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana; the West Indies will host four Tests, six ODIs, and six T20Is between June and August against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
Ramkissoon stressed that venue allocations are not arbitrary but the result of a consensus-driven process that takes multiple factors into account and includes input from the BCA. He noted CWI’s fragile financial position and highlighted that hosting costs—such as accommodation, security, catering, and other services—vary widely across the Caribbean and significantly influence venue decisions.
He also pointed to visiting teams’ preferences and home-side tactical considerations, such as pitch conditions, as important determinants in siting matches.
The TTCB said it remains confident that CWI’s allocations fairly reflect the investments territorial governments have made to host international and first-class cricket. Ramkissoon observed that Barbados has historically hosted a large share of Test matches, often more than Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, and that those territories have typically accepted the need for a careful balance in scheduling.
As manager and owner of Woodland Sports Club—named 2026 “Club of the Year”—Ramkissoon commended CWI and President Dr. Kishore Shallow for striving for equity and transparency given the limited number of matches and many potential venues. He also acknowledged the disappointment at not being able to include South Florida as a venue, which would have engaged the sizable West Indian diaspora there.