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MUMBAI: Several teams participating in the T20 World Cup 2026 are set to leave India over the weekend on charter flights arranged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being stranded due to disruptions in air travel caused by the ongoing military conflict in the Middle East.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, England, South Africa and West Indies were among the sides unable to depart the country following their elimination from the T20 World Cup.
England, who suffered a semi-final defeat against India on Thursday, are scheduled to leave Mumbai on Saturday evening aboard a charter flight bound for London.
Meanwhile, South Africa and the West Indies will depart from Kolkata on a separate charter flight.
Both teams are expected to travel to Johannesburg first before the West Indies squad continues onward to Antigua. While the exact departure time is yet to be finalised, both teams are expected to leave on Sunday.
South Africa and the West Indies have remained in Kolkata since their exits from the tournament.
South Africa were knocked out after losing to New Zealand in the first semi-final on March 4, while the West Indies have been in the city since their defeat against India in their final Super Eight fixture on March 1.
West Indies head coach Daren Sammy even took to social media to highlight the delay, posting “Day 6” on his X account on Saturday, a reference to the number of days the team had been waiting to travel after their last match.
Some members of the South African contingent will have a tight turnaround after leaving India.
Team management members, along with players Keshav Maharaj, Jason Smith and George Linde, are scheduled to travel to New Zealand on Sunday for a limited-overs tour that begins on March 15.
Zimbabwe also experienced travel delays after playing their final match of the tournament on March 1, though parts of their squad were able to depart India on March 4.
The ongoing T20 World Cup, which began on February 7 across venues in India and Sri Lanka, will conclude on Sunday with the final between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad.
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