West Indies, South Africa remain stranded in India after flight home gets cancelled
India Today
T20 World Cup 2026: West Indies and South Africa cricketers remain stranded in Kolkata after their charter flight arranged to take them home was cancelled due to airspace clearance issues amidst the ongoing tensions in the West Asia region.
The charter flight arranged to take the West Indies and South Africa cricket teams out of Kolkata was cancelled on Tuesday due to airspace clearance issues. Now both squads are stranded in the city with no confirmed route home.
The two teams had been scheduled to share a charter flight to Johannesburg, with the West Indies continuing to Antigua from there. The flight had been arranged after both squads found themselves stuck in India following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup. International airspace restrictions caused by the ongoing tensions in West Asia had made it difficult to chart a straightforward route home.
The West Indies have been in Kolkata since their Super Eight defeat to India at Eden Gardens on March 1. South Africa, which lost their semifinal at the same venue on March 4, have also been unable to leave.
India Today has learnt that 12 West Indies players and 10 support staff members remain in the city, along with 12 South Africa players and 2 support staff.
With the charter flight now cancelled, many players have begun making their own individual travel arrangements, though those too are dependent on airspace clearances being granted.
The ICC and Cricket West Indies are working together to find alternative solutions, but no confirmed departure has been announced.
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