The International Cricket Council (ICC) has “categorically” denied claims of favoritism after England flew home from the T20 World Cup while the West Indies and South Africa remained stranded in India.
The disparity in travel schedules sparked outrage from players and pundits.
Michael Vaughan, the former England captain stated “the power is all wrong,” arguing that all teams should be treated equally regardless of their influence at the ICC table.
South African batter Quinton de Kock called the situation “strange,” noting that his team had received no updates while England departed.
The ICC explained that travel has been severely disrupted by conflict and air strikes across the Middle East.
They maintained that England’s departure from Mumbai via Egypt was possible only because that specific route remained open.
“Decisions are being driven solely by airspace availability, routing permissions, and safety,” an ICC spokesperson said. “Any suggestion that teams have been prioritized based on anything else is incorrect.”
The West Indies, who have been stuck for a week, and South Africa are finally scheduled to depart together on a chartered flight this Monday.
