JAMAICA must do all it can to get a piece of the action during the region’s hosting of the 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup, says former cricket executive Chris Dehring.

“Jamaica must bid and Jamaica must host,” the Jamaican entrepreneur said after Cricket West Indies (CWI) and United States Cricket were last month named co-hosts for the global T20 showpiece.

“Anything else would be a travesty given all the synergies with the US and the opportunities we should be able to jointly exploit,” Dehring, who was chief executive officer of the 2007 50-over Cricket World Cup staged in the Caribbean, told the Jamaica Observer.

Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) President Wilford ‘Billy’ Heaven was reserved in his response when contacted by the Observer, but he indicated there is an interest.

“The most I can say at this time is that Jamaica will definitely express an interest to host game(s). However, the process to make that determination has not started as yet, so at the moment it’s really an expression of intent,” he said.

While matches are expected to be staged in multiple West Indies territories, Dehring pointed out that Jamaica, a premier tourist destination located in the northern Caribbean, has a clear edge.

“This is a great opportunity specifically for Jamaica. Our geographic proximity, [two] venues and hotel infrastructure give us a significant competitive advantage to co-host and co-market the event with the USA, especially if Florida is the venue utilised.

“We have experienced people like Michael Hall and Robert Bryan who would be rated amongst the best in the world as cricket event organisers. We have the best hotels and quality stadiums. We are the location best suited for a partnership with the US with sufficient airlift and sealift to make it work,” he said.

Dehring said all stakeholders, including the Jamaican Government, will have to move in unison.

“We have the tourist marketing capability to exploit the opportunities. All we need now is the will and desire to do so. The Government needs to galvanise the country and put together a competent bid committee to show we are in it to win it,” the chief organiser of the 2007 World Cup insisted.

Heaven, who is a CWI board director, noted that the Caribbean sharing hosting rights with a large market like the USA is a major boost for cricket development in the region.

“In my view this will fast-track the effort to professionalise the sport in the Americas which will strengthen our income earning capacity and support for the game.

“It will open the doors to the USA market which is an emerging market with huge potential given its size and diversity. It also represents confidence by the ICC to have these global events hosted in the Caribbean,” the JCA boss said.

The 2024 T20 tournament is to be the fifth occasion that the West Indies will host a Cricket World Cup, and the first time that a major ICC event will be staged in the United States.

After West Indies hosted its first-ever ICC tournament in 2007, the region put on the men’s and women’s T20 World Cup in 2010.

In 2018 the Caribbean welcomed the women’s T20 World Cup, and is scheduled to stage its first-ever Under-19 World Cup next month.