Gulf Crisis Behind Delayed Return of South Africa and West Indies Squads, Says ICC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday said that the delay in the return of several teams after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka was caused by disruptions to international air travel resulting from the ongoing crisis in the Gulf region.

"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," the ICC statement read.

According to the ICC, the delay is the direct result of the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region, which has caused widespread and continuing disruption to international air travel, including airspace closures, missile warnings, re-routing constraints, as well as the cancellation and rescheduling of both commercial and charter flights at short notice.

The ICC said these are conditions entirely outside its control and have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances.

When will the South Africa and West Indies contingents depart after the delay?

The governing body added that it has been engaged continuously with airlines, charter operators, airport authorities, ground handlers and government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions to secure safe homeward travel for all affected groups as quickly as possible, and that the work remains ongoing.

On current arrangements, the South Africa contingent will begin departing for South Africa tonight, with all members expected to have departed within the next 36 hours.

Of the West Indies contingent, nine members are already travelling to the Caribbean, while the remaining 16 are booked on flights departing India within the next 24 hours.

The ICC also rejected suggestions that decisions regarding travel arrangements were influenced by anything other than safety considerations.

"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."

How did the ICC explain its safety-first approach to delayed team travel after the T20 World Cup?

It further clarified that travel arrangements made for South Africa and the West Indies were unrelated to those made earlier for England or any other team.

"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.

"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 ICC's statement read.

"We thank all players, management, boards and partners for their continued patience and cooperation in an exceptionally difficult situation," the statement 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," the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said it had secured commercial travel arrangements for members of the West Indies squad currently in India after continued delays in the charter flight organised by the ICC.

How did repeated delays in the ICC charter flight affect the West Indies squad in India?

CWI noted that travel and accommodation arrangements for participating teams during both the men's and women's ICC World Cups are usually coordinated and managed by the ICC.

However, the charter flight that was intended to transport both the West Indies and South Africa teams was repeatedly delayed.

According to CWI, the West Indies squad remained in India for nine days after completing their fixtures while awaiting confirmation of travel arrangements.

The board said the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ICC-organised charter flight, partly due to global tensions and aviation regulations, made the situation increasingly distressing for players and support staff.

"In the interest of the well-being and safety of its players and support staff, Cricket West Indies advised the ICC that it was no longer prudent to continue waiting on the charter arrangements, which remain uncertain," the board said.

Multiple approaches have since been made through CWI, players and other partners, in coordination with the ICC, to secure commercial travel to facilitate the squad's safe return.

It also said that some players and staff members have already departed, while the remaining members of the squad are scheduled to leave on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 11.

Earlier, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy had expressed frustration over the delay through posts on the social media platform X.

"I just wanna go home", reads one of Daren Sammy's posts on X, while in another he wrote, "At least an update, tell us something. Today, tomorrow, next week. It's been 5 days (last match was on March 1)."

Several South African players, including Quinton de Kock and David Miller, also voiced their displeasure on social media regarding the prolonged wait.

"CWI has remained in constant dialogue with the players, team management, and the International Cricket Council since their last match against India," CWI said.

"While the situation remains complex and fluid due to international airspace restrictions arising from security concerns in the Gulf region, CWI assures the public that every precaution is being taken to ensure the safe return of the team to the Caribbean," CWI stated.

(With inputs from ANI)