Kolkata: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made special arrangements to help South Africa and West Indies players return home after travel disruptions following the T20 World Cup in India.
South Africa exited the tournament at the semi-final stage, while West Indies were knocked out in the Super-8 round. However, a sudden war situation led to the closure of Dubai airport, one of the world’s busiest hubs, leaving both squads unable to travel back as planned.
A charter flight was initially arranged for the teams, but it was cancelled at the last minute on administrative grounds on Monday evening. The ICC has since moved to route the players through different commercial flights instead of sending everyone together.
In a statement, the ICC said it is handling ticket bookings for the players. ICC chairman Jay Shah has also spoken personally and assured that all necessary steps will be taken to ensure everyone returns home safely.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy is reported to have departed India on March 9 and returned home.
