The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday said it understands the frustration of international players stuck in India after the T20 World Cup but rejected criticism suggesting that travel arrangements were influenced by anything other than safety concerns.
Air travel across the Gulf has been disrupted after the conflict triggered by American and Israeli bombing of Iran last month. Several airlines have avoided routes over the region, leading to cancellations and delays.
The situation has affected players from South Africa and the West Indies who completed their campaigns in Kolkata but have been unable to leave India as planned.
The ICC said it is working to get the teams home safely and pushed back against criticism on social media and from former cricketers.
"The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect," said cricket's world governing body.
The governing body also rejected claims that England players were given better arrangements after their semifinal exit.
"There is no link between arrangements made in the cases of South Africa and the West Indies and those made previously for England or any other nation, which arose from separate circumstances, routing options and different travel conditions," it added.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan and South Africa batter David Miller had raised questions about the delay, while West Indies coach Darren Sammy earlier expressed frustration over the lack of updates.
The ICC said the South African contingent will begin leaving India on Wednesday night, with all members expected to depart within the next 36 hours.
Nine West Indies players have already left India, while the remaining 16 have been booked on commercial flights in the next 24 hours. "We will provide updates on further departures as confirmed arrangements are in place," said ICC in a statement.
The ICC had earlier arranged a charter flight for the two teams, but it was cancelled due to logistical issues. West Indies played their last match in Kolkata on March 1 during the Super 8 stage, while South Africa were eliminated in the semifinal on March 4.
The ICC said the crisis in West Asia has disrupted global flight routes.
"We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return home. That they have not yet been able to do so is a source of genuine frustration, and the International Cricket Council shares that frustration," the world body said.
It said the disruption was caused by factors beyond its control. "The delay is the direct result of the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region, which has caused widespread and continuing disruption to international air travel, including airspace closures, missile warnings, re-routing constraints, as well as the cancellation and rescheduling of both commercial and charter flights at short notice. These are conditions entirely outside the ICC's control, and they have made each travel solution significantly more complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances."
The ICC said it is in touch with airlines, charter operators and airport authorities to arrange flights for the remaining players. "The ICC has been engaged continuously with airlines, charter operators, airport authorities, ground handlers, and government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions to secure safe homeward travel for all affected groups as quickly as possible. That work remains ongoing."
Many players are travelling with family members, including spouses and children, which has added to the arrangements.
"Throughout this period, the ICC's overriding priority has been the safety and welfare of everyone affected, including players travelling with spouses and young children. We will not move people until we are satisfied that the travel solution in place is safe, and that commitment will not change," it said.
The ICC urged teams and boards to remain patient as the situation develops. "We thank all players, management, boards and partners for their continued patience and cooperation in an exceptionally difficult situation. Our teams are working around the clock and remain in constant contact with team managers as circumstances continue to develop. We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves."