Cricket Teams Depart India Amid Air Travel Disruptions
Cricket Teams Set to Leave India
The cricket teams from England, South Africa, and West Indies are preparing to depart from India this weekend. This arrangement is facilitated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to ongoing military conflicts in West Asia that have affected air travel. England's squad is scheduled to leave Mumbai on Saturday evening, heading to London. Meanwhile, South Africa and West Indies will travel together from Kolkata, with a likely stop in Johannesburg before continuing to Antigua. Both teams are currently awaiting final confirmation regarding their departure times, which are expected to be on Sunday, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
Teams Left Stranded Post World Cup
Following their exits from the T20 World Cup, some South African players, including Keshav Maharaj, are set to travel to New Zealand for a limited-overs series starting on March 15. Both South Africa and West Indies found themselves stranded in Kolkata after their respective defeats in the tournament. South Africa was eliminated by New Zealand in the semi-finals on March 4, while the West Indies faced a five-wicket loss to India in the Super Eights on March 1. The teams are currently waiting for ICC-arranged charter flights due to airspace restrictions stemming from the conflict in the Middle East.
Frustration from West Indies Coach
West Indies coach Daren Sammy has voiced his frustration regarding the delayed departure from India, attributing it to international airspace restrictions linked to security issues in the Gulf Region, particularly due to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. In a brief post on X, the two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain expressed his sentiments with the words, "I just wanna go home" on Thursday.
T20 World Cup Final Approaches
The T20 World Cup is set to conclude on Sunday, with India defending their title against New Zealand in the final match scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad. This tournament commenced on February 7, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.