The travel chaos that followed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has finally come to an end and the last batch of South African national cricket team and West Indies cricket team players are departing India. The International Cricket Council confirmed on Thursday that all remaining members of both squads have now made their way home.
The teams are stuck in Calcutta after the closure of airspace in the Persian Gulf amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia disrupted travel routes. South Africa and West Indies played their final matches of the tournament at the Eden Gardens on March 4 and March 1, respectively, but were unable to leave the country as major transit hubs such as Dubai became inaccessible. In a statement, the ICC said the situation has now been resolved after extensive coordination with various authorities.
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“Over the past 24 hours, the remaining 29 members of South Africa and the final 16 members of the West Indies have departed on flights to their home countries, completing a complex operation that took place under extremely challenging global travel conditions,” the ICC said.
The governing body added that the primary objective of the entire process was to ensure safe travel for all involved.
“During this period, ICC’s operational and logistics teams have worked around the clock with governments, airlines, charter service providers, airport authorities and our member councils to manage a range of operational disruptions caused by the evolving environment.”
Earlier in the week, nine West Indies players had already managed to leave India. The remaining 16 members of the Caribbean contingent were eventually accommodated on commercial flights, the remaining 29 members of the South African contingent also secured departures.
WHY ARE THE TEAMS CLOSED IN INDIA?
The travel disruption was largely prompted by the closure of airspace over key transit areas in the Persian Gulf due to escalating tensions in West Asia. ICC airline partner Emirates was unable to operate flights as airspace over Dubai remained closed, complicating original travel plans.
Initially, the two teams were scheduled to travel together on a chartered flight from Kolkata to Johannesburg, from where the West Indies squad would proceed to Antigua. However, the evolving geopolitical situation meant that securing a safe and viable route was increasingly difficult.
The delay drew criticism from several prominent voices in cricket. Former England captain Michael Vaughan and South African players Quinton de Kock and David Miller questioned whether certain teams received preferential treatment, noting that England were able to leave India within a day of their semi-final exit.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy had also earlier expressed frustration after a charter flight scheduled to depart from Kolkata was cancelled, leaving the players uncertain about their travel plans.
The ICC rejected allegations of bias and said all travel decisions were made based on the safety, feasibility and welfare of players and staff. According to the governing body, it was necessary to make constant adjustments because the situation surrounding international airspace and flight routes was constantly evolving.
With the final batch of players now leaving India, the ICC said the arduous logistical exercise has finally been completed.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
12 March 2026 16:12 IST
