ICC to charter flights to fly stranded teams home: Report

The long wait for the West Indies team to leave India after their exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is finally set to end, with the Caribbean side scheduled to depart over the weekend on a special charter flight arranged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) amid ongoing travel disruptions in the Middle East.

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, two-time champions England are departing from Mumbai on Saturday evening, while West Indies — champions in 2012 and 2016 — will leave on a separate charter flight from Kolkata along with the South African team.

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West Indies had remained in Kolkata for a week following their final Super Eight match on March 1, where they lost to India by five wickets. Their departure was delayed due to airspace restrictions across parts of the Middle East following strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.

South Africa, who were beaten by New Zealand in the semifinal on Wednesday, have also been stranded in Kolkata, while England have been staying in Mumbai after their defeat to India in the second semifinal on Thursday.

“England will fly direct to London. West Indies, along with South Africa, will go to Johannesburg first and then to Antigua; both teams are still awaiting confirmation on when exactly they will depart, but the understanding is that it will be on Sunday,” the report added.

The prolonged stay has also drawn attention on social media. On Saturday, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy posted “Day 6” on his social media handle, referring to the number of days the team had been stuck in Kolkata after their final match.

Meanwhile, West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein jokingly appealed for help from football star Cristiano Ronaldo. “At this point, I’m better off asking Cristiano to send the jet and come rescue me, yes,” he wrote on social media on Friday.

Earlier, the Zimbabwe team had also been stranded in the national capital for the same reason but managed to depart on Thursday after the ICC arranged alternative travel for them to return to Harare via Addis Ababa.