South Africa begin departure after week-long delay, ICC confirm

Members of the South African contingent at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 are set to begin departing for home on Wednesday night, with all members expected to leave within the next 36 hours, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.

The update comes after frustration among players over delays in travel arrangements following the end of their campaigns. South Africa's Quinton de Kock and David Miller had used social media to question why England could leave earlier while South Africa and West Indies players remained in Kolkata awaiting clarity on their travel plans.

De Kock wrote on Instagram: "Funny @icc, we have heard nothing! Meanwhile, England are leaving before us somehow? @westindies and @proteasmencsa are just in the dark! Strange how different teams have more pull than others."

Miller echoed similar sentiments: "Funny that England gets eliminated after WI & SA and gets on a charter back home tonight, while WI & SA still wait for answers in Kolkata."

Responding to the criticism, the ICC said the situations involving different teams were unrelated and driven by varying logistical conditions.

"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," the ICC said.

For the West Indies contingent, departures started @L0$ after repeated delays to the ICC-organised charter flight meant to carry both the West Indies and South Africa teams, as confirmed by Cricket West Indies (CWI) in a statement on Tuesday (March 10). The ICC further revealed that nine members from the WI squad had already begun travelling to the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are scheduled to depart India within the next 24 hours. "We will provide updates on further departures as confirmed arrangements are in place," the ICC said.

"We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return home. That they have not yet been able to do so is a source of genuine frustration, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) shares that frustration.

"Throughout this period, the ICC's overriding priority has been the safety and welfare of everyone affected, including players travelling with spouses and young children. We will not move people until we are satisfied that the travel solution in place is safe, and that commitment will not change."

The governing body attributed the delays to the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region, which it said had caused "widespread and continuing disruption to international air travel," including airspace closures, missile warnings and the cancellation or rescheduling of flights at short notice.

"These are conditions entirely outside the ICC's control, and they have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances," the ICC said.

The ICC said it had been working with airlines, charter operators and government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions to secure travel arrangements for players, support staff and their families.

"We thank all players, management, boards and partners for their continued patience and cooperation in an exceptionally difficult situation," the release added. "Our teams are working around the clock and remain in constant contact with team managers as circumstances continue to develop. We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves."

@B0$

In a subsequent release issued several hours later, the ICC said departures had begun for the South African contingent. Four South Africa players and five family members had already boarded flights home, while the remaining 29 members of the contingent are scheduled to depart within the next 24 hours.

Further, the remaining 16 of the West Indian contingent have been booked on flights departing India within the next 12 hours.

The ICC added that it is managing additional logistics, including accommodation, caused by the travel disruptions.