Breaking: ICC denies bias as West Indies and South Africa remain 'stuck' in India

The ICC faced scrutiny after England departed India early, while West Indies and South Africa remained stranded due to airspace closures linked to regional conflicts.

West Indies and South Africa are stuck in India nearly for a week now. Image | ICC

The festivities in Ahmedabad may have completed, but for several international teams, the T20 World Cup 2026 has transitioned from a sporting event into a logistical nightmare. A major controversy has erupted over the repatriation of teams, with the ICC forced to defend itself against allegations of "preferential treatment" after the England squad departed India significantly earlier than the West Indies and South Africa, who were stuck before them.

The root cause of the incident

The core of the crisis lies in the escalating dispute across West Asia and the Middle East, which has resulted in the closure of essential airspaces and the revocation of multiple commercial flight paths.

While the tournament ended on Sunday, several teams stayed grounded in India for days, leading to a war of words involving former captains and frustrated coaches.

Read also: INDvsNZ, T20 WC Final: India repeat and create history, defeating every odd in Ahmedabad.

Vaughan sparked the "bias" debate

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been the most vocal criticiser of the situation, accusing the ICC of favouring the more politically influential boards.

Despite England losing their semi-final to India on March 5 a day after South Africa’s exit, they were back on home soil within 48 hours. Meanwhile, the West Indies, whose tournament ended on March 1, are still waiting for a flight out.

"All teams in this situation should be treated the same," Vaughan commented. "Just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn't count." His comments sparked a firestorm on social media, indicating that the "Big Three" leverage expanded even to travel logistics.

Read also: 'I want to win...' - Hardik Pandya reveals trophy ambition after India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.

Daren Sammy’s breaking point

The frustration reached a boiling point in the West Indies camp. Head coach Daren Sammy took to X (formerly Twitter) to convey his fatigue, simply writing, "I just wanna go home."

Succeeding reports demonstrate that the Caribbean side has been waiting for a chartered aircraft to clear problematic routing approvals, a procedure that has seen them remain in India for over a week since their final match.

The ICC’s technical explanation

In a statement reported by the BBC, the ICC categorically denied any claims of bias, citing "operational safety and aircraft routing permissions" as the only factors at play.

The governing body clarified that the departure sequence is a matter of geography and flight logistics rather than politics.

The ICC explained that the England squad and staff were able to fly directly from Mumbai. This exact passage remained unruffled by the West Asian airspace limitations, allowing commercial flights to function on their usual schedules.

Meantime, routing a flight to the West Indies or South Africa demands navigating significantly more restricted zones or connecting long-haul technical stops that are currently hindered by the regional dispute.

Read also: ICC to the rescue: England, SA, and West Indies to leave India on charter flights.

The departure timeline

The ICC has ensured that the South African team is expected to depart later today, while a chartered flight for the West Indies has finally been cleared for tomorrow.

"Any suggestion that teams have been prioritised based on anything other than these constraints is incorrect," an ICC spokesperson added.

Share