Darren Sammy seemed desperate. He dished out a couple of tweets on Thursday, asking for help. Thankfully, he will be a happy man now. The West Indies’ T20 World Cup campaign ended days ago, but their journey home had been stuck in limbo. Now, after more than five days of uncertainty in Kolkata, the Caribbean side is finally set to leave India.
A charter flight has been arranged for the team after international airspace disruptions in the Middle East halted their original travel plans. The development comes following intervention from the ICC, with chairman Jay Shah and senior officials reportedly coordinating with Cricket West Indies to secure a safe route home.
The team had originally planned to travel back via Dubai shortly after their Super 8 exit. However, escalating tensions in West Asia led to widespread airspace closures and flight cancellations across major transit hubs, leaving several international teams stranded.
ICC steps in as charter flight arranged
According to TOI, a charter flight has now been organised to take the West Indies squad back to the Caribbean, with the departure expected within the next 24 hours subject to final air traffic clearances. Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed the development in an official statement after a high-level call involving ICC officials, team management and player representatives.
“During a high-level call earlier today involving CWI, ICC officials, a representative of team management, and a representative of the players, it was confirmed that a charter flight is currently being arranged for the team’s departure from India, with the expected departure scheduled within the next 24 hours. The departure time remains subject to final air traffic approvals.”
Head coach Daren Sammy had earlier voiced the team’s frustration while waiting in Kolkata. “I just wanna go home,” he wrote on social media.
While the West Indies waited for clarity, Zimbabwe have already begun their journey back home. Their squad is travelling in batches after the ICC arranged alternative routes following cancellations of flights through Dubai. Zimbabwe players are now flying to Harare via Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The first group departed earlier this week, while the remaining members are expected to leave on Friday.
The ICC is also working on travel arrangements for South Africa following their semifinal exit against New Zealand. As per reports, the Proteas are likely to return using Ethiopian Airlines as routes gradually reopen.
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