West Indies players depart India on commercial flights after charter cancellation

New Delhi — Players from the West Indies cricket team have begun leaving India on commercial flights in groups after their departure was delayed due to international airspace closures linked to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to a statement from Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Tuesday.

Indian media reported that a charter flight arranged for both the West Indies and South Africa teams, which was scheduled to travel to Johannesburg and then onward to Antigua, was cancelled earlier on Tuesday. As a result, some players and staff have already left India, while others are set to depart on different flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, CWI confirmed.

The West Indies team was eliminated from the T20 World Cup’s Super Eight stage on March 1. Despite their exit, the squad remained in India as their charter flight, organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC), faced repeated delays.

In a statement, CWI explained, “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.” The statement added that ongoing uncertainty surrounding international airspace closures had impacted the scheduled travel plans.

The disruption comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, which have led to the closure of certain air routes and affected international travel schedules for teams and officials involved in the tournament.

CWI stated that arrangements were being made to ensure all players and staff could return home safely, with departures now taking place in batches via commercial airlines. The governing body did not specify the exact number of players or staff affected by the changes.

The ICC has not yet issued a separate statement regarding the travel delays or the cancellation of the charter flight.