South African cricketers Quinton de Kock and David Miller have lashed out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the travel privileges England got ahead of the Proteas and West Indies after the trio’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign got over. South Africa and West Indies are unable to return home, and are stuck in India, due to the international airspace restrictions amid rising tensions between the USA-Israel and Iran and.
While West Indies crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026 in the Super 8 stage on March 1, South Africa took the exit route on March 4 in the semifinals. England were eliminated the next day on March 5. According to a PTI report, England are set to leave India on Saturday evening from Mumbai, on a special chartered flight arranged by the ICC.
The Proteas and the West Indies too will receive the same treatment from the apex body but are still awaiting confirmation on when exactly they will depart. It is believed that both West Indies and South African contingent will fly together from Kolkata, with a likely stoppage in Johannesburg before heading to Antigua. It is most likely that they will depart on Sunday.
Reacting to this De Kock took to Instagram stories to vent his frustration at the quick response to the England team. “Funny @icc, we have heard nothing! Meanwhile, England are leaving before us somehow? @westindies and @proteasmencsa are just in the dark! Strange how different teams have more pull than others,” De Kock wrote on his Instagram story.
But that’s not all. De Kock’s fellow teammate Miller also lashed out at the ICC. In the comments section to one of the ESPNcricinfo’s post, Miller went on saying, “Funny that England gets eliminated after WI & SA and gets on a charter back home tonight. While WI & SA still wait for answers in Kolkata.”
Miller was joined by two-time World Cup-winning former West Indies captain and current head coach Darren Sammy, who sarcastically said, “@davidmillersa12 a lil louder for those in the back to hear please sir.”
Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan also questioned the decision to send England back home earlier than West Indies and South Africa. “So England got knocked out on Thurs, get a charter home today .. West Indies go out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata .. SA in the same position .. That’s where the power is all wrong ..
“All teams in this situation should be treated the same .. just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn’t count .. #JustSaying,” Vaughan wrote on X.
Who are playing in T20 World Cup 2026 final?
India will take on New Zealand in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Having won the titles in 2007 and 2024, a win on Sunday will make India the most successful team in the shortest format with three silverwares.
New Zealand are yet to win a T20 World Cup, having come very close in 2021. The Kiwis lost to Australia in the final of 2021.
