A happy bunch of cricketers left the Piarco International Airport last evening, to represent this country at their final Champions League T20 tournament in India.
Leading up to their departure, there were still some issues to be sorted out between the management of the team and the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB).
However, manager Omar Khan said last night he was happy the issues were dealt with, and members of the team were all satisfied with the outcome.
"The board and the team came a an amicable agreement on all terms and the players are happy and focussed on representing the country. We are looking forward to this final Champions League and we are going there to represent the people of Trinidad and Tobago well.
"All the guys have that fire in them and want to do well. Going back to India brings good memories because they have held their own in that country and this time around they are looking to go all the way."
T&T finished runners-up in their inaugural Champions League in India back in 2009. On that occasion they played unbeaten until the finals, when they went down to New South Wales Blues.
Last year, T&T failed to get out of the qualifiers but this time around, they have been placed in the main draw and will break crease on Sunday, when they face Brisbane Heats out of Australia in their first match.
The team left T&T at 5pm yesterday and will spend the day in London today before making the final leg of their journey to India this evening, landing in New Delhi and then onwards to Ranchi, where they will take on the Perth Scorchers in their only warm-up game on Saturday.
Team:
T&T Red Force–Denesh Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Evin Lewis, Samuel Badree, Navin Stewart, Shannon Gabriel, Yannick Ottley, Adrian Barath, Sherwin Ganga, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Darren Bravo.
T&T MATCHES
Sun, Sep 22–Group B : Brisbane Heat vs T&T
JSCA International Cricket Stadium, Ranchi.
International Cricket Stadium, Ranchi
Tue, Sep 24–T&T vs TBC
Punjab C.A. Stadium, Mohali.
Mon, Sep 30–Group B : 16th T20 - Titans vs T&T
Sardar Patel Stadium Motera, Ahmedabad
Wed, Oct 2–Group B : 20th T20 - Chennai Super Kings vs T&T
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.
Fri, Oct 4–1st Semi Final T20 - TBC vs TBC (A1 vs B2)
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Sat Oct 5–2nd Semi Final T20 - TBC vs TBC (A2 vs B1)
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
Sun Oct 6–Final T20 - TBC vs TBC
Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.