West Indies, South Africa Stranded in India Due to Iran Conflict Airspace Closures

West Indies and South Africa have remained in Kolkata since their eliminations over the past week and are scheduled to depart in the early hours of Tuesday, on a charter flight to Johannesburg. From there, the West Indies squad will continue their journey to Antigua, according to ESPNcricinfo.

While South Africa's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign ended after a semifinal loss to New Zealand on March 4, the West Indies road came to an end following their loss to India in both teams' do-or-die Super 8s clash on March 1 in the mega-event.

The revised travel plans, caused by airspace closures and restrictions in West Asia following the ongoing crisis, sparked frustration in both camps.

West Indies coach Daren Sammy earlier expressed his frustration on X, and several South African players, including Quinton de Kock and David Miller, have also voiced their displeasure on social media.

"I just wanna go home", reads one of Daren Sammy's posts on X, while in another, he wrote, "At least an update, tell us something. Today tmw, next week. It's been 5 days (last match was on March 1)."

Cricket West Indies (CWI) stated on Thursday that the board has been in constant contact with players, management, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the team's return after their loss to India. They said that while the international airspace restrictions in the Gulf region have made travel complicated, all precautions are being taken by the CWI to ensure the team's safe return to the Caribbean.

"CWI has remained in constant dialogue with the players, team management, and the International Cricket Council since their last match against India. While the situation remains complex and fluid due to international airspace restrictions arising from security concerns in the Gulf region, CWI assures the public that every precaution is being taken to ensure the safe return of the team to the Caribbean," CWI had stated.

- ANI