After chaotic scenes at Sabina Park on Sunday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has apologised and assured fans there will be smoother entry for the second T20 International between the West Indies and Australia this evening.

Thousands of supporters were left frustrated during the opening T20, which started at 7:00 pm, due to slow and congested lines at the stadium’s North Stand. This meant many missed the start of the first innings, where the Windies batted, as well as part of Australia’s reply.

The Jamaica Observer witnessed the situation as security personnel and ticket staff struggled to deal with the large crowd. Due to the slow pace of entry, tensions began to heighten as police forcibly closed the gates to deny any entry into the stands. That led to further unrest with members of the Jamaica Cricket Association hierarchy also trying to resolve the matter.

It led to many resorting to gain access through the George Headley Stand while some left the venue altogether. There was also an issue with the electronic ticketing system as the Observer understands the stadium’s internet and cellular connection went down.

One member of the event staff told the Observer that they were inadequately prepared and also blamed poor communication, especially on the police’s part. Another blamed the buy one, get one free ticket offer through the “Dre Day” promotion to celebrate Jamaican Andre Russell’s last two games in international cricket.

However, the situation slowly quelled and supporters were eventually allowed in, despite many failing to have their electronic ticket scanned.

CWI said on Monday that “some patrons missed portions of the match, and others were unfortunately turned away despite their best efforts to attend” and that it expressed its “sincerest and heartfelt apologies”.

CWI said it is “actively working with local authorities and stadium operators to improve all aspects of Tuesday’s match-day operations, including appropriate staffing, streamlined entry protocols, and enhanced crowd control measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all”.

CWI Chief Executive Officer Chris Dehring also implored fans not to be turned off from Sunday’s issues.

“We were both humbled and inspired by the amazing turnout,”Dehring said in CWI’s press release. “It was a powerful reminder of how deeply Jamaicans still love West Indies cricket, but more importantly, the crowd signalled by example how we should all respond to the disappointment of the recent third Test match defeat.

“We understand the frustration by those who experienced challenges to enter Sabina due to the large turnout. We are truly sorry to the fans affected — your support means everything to us, and we are working hard to make things right for Tuesday.”

This evening’s encounter is the final international match at Sabina Park for 2025.