ICC confirms safe departure of South Africa and West Indies squads after travel disruptions
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the remaining members of the South Africa and West Indies national cricket teams have safely departed India following travel disruptions that delayed their return home after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Several players and staff from both teams were forced to remain in India after the tournament concluded on Sunday due to flight complications linked to the ongoing conflict in parts of the Middle East, which disrupted international travel routes.
West Indies had already been in Kolkata for more than a week after their elimination from the tournament, while South Africa knocked out last Wednesday also stayed back in India as alternative travel arrangements were being organised.
In a statement released on Thursday, the ICC confirmed that the final travelling parties from both teams had successfully begun their journeys home.
“Within the past 24 hours, South Africa’s remaining 29 members and the West Indies’ final 16 members have departed on flights to their respective homelands, bringing to a close a complex operation that has taken place under exceptionally challenging global travel conditions,” the statement read.
According to the governing body, the operation required continuous coordination between multiple stakeholders to overcome the logistical challenges created by the evolving global situation.
“Throughout this period, the ICC’s operations and logistics teams worked closely with governments, airlines, charter providers, airport authorities and our Member boards to navigate several operational disruptions. Securing safe onward travel for all remaining players and staff was our sole aim, and it required constant adjustments as conditions changed,” the statement added.
The ICC also expressed appreciation to Cricket South Africa and Cricket West Indies, as well as the players and staff involved, for their patience and cooperation throughout the process. Additional arrangements, including extended accommodation for the teams, were also handled by the governing body during the delay.
The travel complications came shortly after the conclusion of the tournament, where co-hosts India successfully defended their T20 World Cup title with a commanding 96-run victory over New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad.
The triumph marked a historic achievement for India, making them the first team to successfully defend the men’s T20 World Cup title. It also means the Asian giants have now claimed the last three men’s white-ball tournaments, following their triumphs in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
For New Zealand, however, the defeat adds to a growing list of near misses in major ICC finals, having previously fallen short in the 2015, 2019, and 2021 World Cup showpieces.
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