The International Cricket Council (ICC) has denied allegations of favouritism towards England and its players after travel complications left a few teams stranded in India following the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. While England managed to fly home soon after their semi-final defeat, West Indies and South Africa are still awaiting a clear travel plan amid disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
The situation has been further complicated with the usual connecting route through Dubai currently unavailable. As a result, the ICC has been struggling to arrange departure logistics for the West Indies and South Africa squads. England, however, were able to depart shortly after their semi-final loss to the Indian team on March 5.
The West Indies side remains in Kolkata, nearly a week after their elimination from the Super 8 stage following a defeat to India. Meanwhile, South Africa, who were knocked out after losing the first semi-final to New Zealand, are also still stuck in the country.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been among the strongest critics of the ICC, accusing the governing body of favouring influential cricket boards. However, an ICC spokesperson rejected those claims, insisting that the departures are being managed purely based on logistical factors.
“Decisions on departure sequencing are being driven solely by airspace availability, aircraft routing permissions, visa requirements and operational safety considerations,” the ICC spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Firstpost.
“Any suggestion that teams have been prioritised based on anything other than these constraints is incorrect,” the source added.
Meanwhile, Darren Sammy, head coach of the West Indies, has been vocal on social media, repeatedly expressing frustration over the prolonged stay in India. South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock also took a swipe at the ICC after learning that England had already departed.
The ICC further clarified that it remains in constant contact with all participating boards and stressed that England were able to leave earlier because their travel routes were still operational.
“The safety and well-being of players, support staff, officials, and our own workforce remain our absolute priority as we respond to the evolving situation affecting air travel across parts of the Middle East,” the ICC source stated.
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