The International Cricket Council has denied accusations of preferential treatment after West Indies and South Africa teams faced prolonged delays returning from the T20 World Cup in India due to Middle East conflict disruptions. Both squads, stranded in Kolkata, have begun departing on commercial flights after cancelled ICC charters, with players voicing frustration on social media over handling and comparisons to England's swift return.
The West Indies and South Africa cricket teams have been stuck in Kolkata, India, since their eliminations from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. West Indies were knocked out on March 1 in a Super Eights match against India, while South Africa exited on March 4 after a semi-final loss to New Zealand at Eden Gardens.
ICC-arranged charter flights faced repeated delays due to the Middle East conflict, including airspace closures over Gulf hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, compounded by global aviation regulations. Cricket West Indies (CWI) called the wait 'increasingly distressing' amid uncertainty, coordinating with the ICC to book commercial flights instead.
As of March 11, 2026, nine West Indies contingent members had departed for the Caribbean, with 16 more scheduled within 12 hours. For South Africa, four players and five family members had flown home, and the remaining 29 were set to depart within 24 hours. The ICC continues managing accommodation and logistics, thanking teams for their patience.
Players vented frustration online. West Indies coach Darren Sammy posted on X: "I just wanna go home," requesting updates after five days of uncertainty. South Africa's Quinton de Kock questioned on Instagram: "England are leaving before us somehow?! Strange how different teams have more pull than others." David Miller commented: "It doesn’t take the ICC long to organise England charter. WI have been waiting for 7 days for a charter and SA coming on 4 days now. And yet we still wait." Former England captain Michael Vaughan also highlighted the disparity on social media.
England, ousted in the semi-final on March 5, returned home within two days via a charter by their board. The ICC categorically rejected bias suggestions, stressing: "We will not move people until we are satisfied that the travel solution in place is safe." It added: "The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect." There is "no link between arrangements made in the cases of South Africa and the West Indies and those made previously for England or any other nation, which arose from separate circumstances, routing options and different travel conditions."
