The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday dismissed allegations of bias after the West Indies cricket team and South Africa national cricket team were left stranded in India for more than a week following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
International travel disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East forced airlines to cancel or reroute several flights, creating significant delays for teams attempting to leave the country.
Cricket West Indies said on Tuesday that its squad had been waiting nine days for a charter flight that was repeatedly postponed, describing the situation and uncertainty as “increasingly distressing”.
Former England national cricket team captain Michael Vaughan also criticised the situation on social media. He pointed out that England managed to depart just 36 hours after their semi-final elimination last week, while the West Indies and South Africa squads remained in Kolkata more than a week after their exit from the tournament.
In response, the ICC insisted that the travel arrangements were not influenced by bias and were based solely on safety, logistics and the wellbeing of those involved.
“We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their campaigns in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 are eager to return home,” the governing body said in a statement. “The delay is understandably frustrating, and the ICC shares that frustration.”
The ICC added that comparisons with England’s travel arrangements were misplaced, noting that their departure involved different routing options and travel conditions.
According to the ICC, members of the South African contingent are expected to depart within the next 36 hours. South Africa’s World Cup campaign ended on March 4.
Meanwhile, nine West Indies players and staff have already begun their journey back to the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are scheduled to leave India on flights departing within the next 24 hours.