New Delhi, March 9: Several teams participating in the T20 World Cup 2026 faced difficulties returning home after their tournament journeys ended. The ongoing heavy bombings between Iran and Israel have disrupted air traffic in the Middle East and West Asia, causing delays for many teams who could not return as per their scheduled plans.
The West Indies team, which played its last match against India on March 1, remains stranded in India. Similarly, South Africa, which lost to New Zealand in the semifinals on March 4, is also still in India. In contrast, England, which lost to India in the semifinals on March 5, has already returned home. This situation has raised questions and led to accusations of discrimination against the International Cricket Council (ICC). Concerns have been raised regarding the early return of England while the West Indies and South Africa are still in India.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticized the ICC for its handling of the situation, stating, “All teams should be treated equally in this scenario. The strength of a team on the table should not matter.”
In response to the allegations of bias, the ICC clarified that decisions regarding departures were based solely on the availability of airspace, aircraft routing permissions, visa requirements, and security considerations. It is incorrect to suggest that teams were given priority for any other reasons beyond these disruptions.
Recently, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy expressed his frustration on social media, stating, “I just want to go home,” which garnered significant attention internationally.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
