Uninformed and unhelpful: ICC hits back at criticism of travel arrangements amid West Asia crisis

The ICC on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) expressed sympathy for the international players stranded in India after the T20 World Cup however lambasted “uninformed and unhelpful” options that “something apart from security” is driving the journey plans which were thrown haywire by the West Asia battle.

The conflict, which started with the American and Israeli bombing of Iran final month, has led to closure of the air house over Gulf, leaving flight schedules in chaos.

The ICC stated it empathises with the stranded gamers, particularly from South Africa and the West Indies, however “security, feasibility and welfare” of the groups is being rigorously thought of whereas drawing up alternate routes.

Giving particulars of the journey schedule, the ICC stated the South African contingent will start departing for residence on Wednesday evening and all of the members are anticipated to depart throughout the subsequent 36 hours.

9 West Indies gamers have already left, whereas the remaining 16 have been booked on industrial flights departing India throughout the subsequent 24 hours, stated the ICC.

This was after their constitution flight scheduled to take off from Kolkata was cancelled because of logistical points.

The ICC drew criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan and South African star David Miller insinuated that England gamers got higher journey preparations as they have been in a position to go away inside a day of their semifinal ouster. Earlier than this, West Indies coach Darren Sammy had expressed frustration on the lack of updates from the world physique.

The ICC hit again with out naming anybody particularly.

“The ICC rejects any suggestion that these selections have been pushed by something apart from security, feasibility and welfare. Ideas in any other case throughout quite a lot of media platforms from individuals uninformed of the state of affairs are as unhelpful as they’re incorrect,” stated cricket’s world governing physique.

“There isn’t any hyperlink between preparations made within the instances of South Africa and the West Indies and people made beforehand for England or every other nation, which arose from separate circumstances, routing choices and completely different journey circumstances,” it added.

West Indies and South Africa performed their ultimate video games in Kolkata on March 1 and March 4 respectively. The ICC’s airline accomplice is Emirates and they’re unable to function because of shutdown of the Dubai airspace.

“We perceive that gamers, coaches, help employees and their households who’ve accomplished their ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return residence.

“That they haven’t but been in a position to take action is a supply of real frustration, and the Worldwide Cricket Council shares that frustration,” the world physique stated.

“The delay is the direct results of the continuing disaster throughout the Gulf area, which has brought on widespread and persevering with disruption to worldwide air journey, together with airspace closures, missile warnings, re-routing constraints, in addition to the cancellation and rescheduling of each industrial and constitution flights at brief discover,” it added.

The ICC stated because of the present state of affairs, which is exterior its management, every journey resolution has turn into considerably extra “advanced and time-consuming than below regular circumstances.”

The ICC stated it’s persevering with to liaise with tour operators and airways to make sure that all gamers attain residence safely.

“All through this era, the ICC’s overriding precedence has been the protection and welfare of everybody affected, together with gamers travelling with spouses and younger kids. We won’t transfer individuals till we’re glad that the journey resolution in place is secure, and that dedication won’t change,” it stated.

The ICC additionally urged the respective cricket boards and gamers to stay affected person as it really works to seek out the very best options amid the evolving state of affairs in in West Asia.

“Our groups are working across the clock and stay in fixed contact with group managers as circumstances proceed to develop. We’ll proceed to supply updates because the state of affairs evolves.”