The Caribbean side’s governing body, CWI, announced on Tuesday that West Indies players are departing India on commercial flights in groups after their departure was delayed due to international airspace closures amid the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
A charter flight that was supposed to take the West Indies and South Africa Twenty20 World Cup teams to Johannesburg before continuing on to Antigua was canceled earlier on Tuesday, according to media reports.
According to a statement from CWI, some players and staff have already left, while others are expected to travel on separate planes on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Despite being eliminated from the tournament’s Super Eight stage on March 1, the West Indies had to stay back in India because the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) charter flight was constantly delayed.
“As is customary for both men’s and women’s ICC World Cups, all travel and accommodation arrangements for participating teams are coordinated and managed by the ICC. Ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ICC-organised charter, as a result of global tensions and aviation regulations, made the situation increasingly distressing,” CWI said.
The South African players Quinton de Kock and David Miller, as well as West Indies coach Daren Sammy, have accused the ICC of abandoning them, citing the fact that the England squad returned on a charter jet two days after losing to India in the semifinals.
“Multiple approaches have since been made through CWI, players, and other partners, in coordination with the ICC, to secure commercial travel to facilitate the squad’s safe return,” CWI added.
