Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: After their early exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the West Indies national cricket team and South Africa national cricket team have been stuck in Kolkata for more than a week, sparking criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan.Vaughan questioned why England national cricket team managed to return home quickly while the other teams remain stranded. England were knocked out on March 5 but reportedly flew home within 36 hours. Meanwhile, West Indies were eliminated on March 1 and South Africa on March 4, yet both squads were still waiting in India days later.
Frustrated by the situation, Vaughan wrote, “Just to let you all know that the West Indies got knocked out of the World Cup on March 1st .. it’s now March 9th .. they are still stranded in Kolkata .. SA are in the same position .. !!!!!!!!!!!! This isn’t right … England got on a charter 36 hrs after being knocked out .. as should be the case for all teams ..”The issue has also been raised by players such as Quinton de Kock, David Miller, and West Indies coach Daren Sammy, who have expressed concerns about the delay.However, tournament organisers say the problem is not favoritism but travel restrictions. According to the International Cricket Council and Cricket West Indies, the delay is linked to airspace restrictions caused by rising tensions in the Middle East involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Several flight corridors across the Gulf region have been partially closed for safety.Flights heading to the UK can avoid the most affected zones by taking northern routes, which likely helped England return sooner. But routes to the Caribbean and South Africa pass closer to restricted Gulf airspace, leading to cancellations and permit issues. A charter flight planned earlier was reportedly cancelled due to missing overflight approvals.
