The ICC on Wednesday (March 11, 2026) expressed sympathy for the international players stranded in India after the T20 World Cup but lambasted “uninformed and unhelpful” suggestions that “anything other than safety” is driving the travel plans that have been thrown haywire by the West Asia conflict.

The war, which began with the American and Israeli bombing of Iran last month, has led to closure of the air space over Gulf, leaving flight schedules in chaos.

The ICC said it empathises with the stranded players, specifically from South Africa and the West Indies, but “safety, feasibility and welfare” of the teams is being carefully considered while drawing up alternate routes.

Giving details of the travel schedule, the ICC said the South African contingent will begin departing for home on Wednesday night and all the members are expected to leave within the next 36 hours.

Nine West Indies players have already left, while the remaining 16 have been booked on commercial flights departing India within the next 24 hours, said the ICC.

This was after their charter flight scheduled to take off from Kolkata was cancelled due to logistical issues.

The ICC drew criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan and South African star David Miller insinuated that England players were given better travel arrangements as they were able to leave within a day of their semifinal ouster. Before this, West Indies coach Darren Sammy had expressed frustration at the lack of updates from the world body.

The ICC hit back without naming anyone specifically.

“The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility and welfare. Suggestions otherwise across a variety of media platforms from people uninformed of the situation are as unhelpful as they are incorrect,” said cricket’s world governing body.

“There is no link between arrangements made in the cases of South Africa and the West Indies and those made previously for England or any other nation, which arose from separate circumstances, routing options and different travel conditions,” it added.

West Indies and South Africa played their final games in Kolkata on March 1 and March 4 respectively. The ICC’s airline partner is Emirates and they are unable to operate due to shutdown of the Dubai airspace.

“We understand that players, coaches, support staff and their families who have completed their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are anxious to return home.

“That they have not yet been able to do so is a source of genuine frustration, and the International Cricket Council shares that frustration,” the world body said.

“The delay is the direct result of the ongoing crisis across the Gulf region, which has caused widespread and continuing disruption to international air travel, including airspace closures, missile warnings, re-routing constraints, as well as the cancellation and rescheduling of both commercial and charter flights at short notice,” it added.

The ICC said due to the current situation, which is outside its control, each travel solution has become significantly more “complex and time-consuming than under normal circumstances.”

The ICC said it is continuing to liaise with tour operators and airlines to ensure that all players reach home safely.

“Throughout this period, the ICC’s overriding priority has been the safety and welfare of everyone affected, including players travelling with spouses and young children. We will not move people until we are satisfied that the travel solution in place is safe, and that commitment will not change,” it said.

The ICC also urged the respective cricket boards and players to remain patient as it works to find the best possible solutions amid the evolving situation in in West Asia.

“Our teams are working around the clock and remain in constant contact with team managers as circumstances continue to develop. We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.”

The pressure of expectations can at once be a blessing and a burden. In past ICC white-ball events, South Africa has appeared to be largely weighed down by that pressure. As it gears up to face New Zealand in the T20 World Cup semifinal at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, head coach Shukri Conrad wants his team to embrace the attention.

The Proteas, after all, are fully deserving of the tag of being the team to beat in the shortest format’s showpiece event. Having strung together seven wins in as many matches, Aiden Markram and Co. are the only undefeated outfit in the tournament.

“There’s always pressure, and it’s really about embracing that pressure. Whether we start as favourites (against NZ), probably because we’re the only unbeaten side. I’m glad we’re favourites because I always felt that as a South African team, you want to be able to play as a favourite. It’s easy being an underdog. The expectation isn’t great or that much,” Conrad said on Sunday.

The knockout phase has historically been South Africa’s Kryptonite, but as the 58-year-old pointed out, it is only by getting that far time and again that the albatross around its neck can be banished. Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, the African giant, which notably won the 2025 World Test Championship final against Australia under Temba Bavuma’s leadership, has reached the last-four stage of every ICC limited-overs event.

“If you continually make semifinals and finals, eventually you’re going to win one. But if you don’t make it, you can’t win anything,” Conrad stated.

In a format like T20 where despair could turn into delight and vice versa in a matter of a few overs, recent form might not mean much. Yet, in high-stakes ICC tournaments, momentum can play a key role.

It is what South Africa and the West Indies, the only remaining unbeaten teams of the ongoing T20 World Cup, will look to maintain when they meet in a pivotal Super Eight Group-1 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Thursday. Both sides are fresh off emphatic victories — the Proteas defeated India by 76 runs at this venue, while the Caribbean outfit thrashed Zimbabwe by 107 in Mumbai — and the winner of this tie could potentially seal a semifinal berth.

The Aiden Markram-led South Africa showed tenacity in its previous match, counter-punching its way out of trouble after being reduced to 20 for three. David Miller and Dewald Brevis led the recovery before Tristan Stubbs gave the final flourish. The bowlers then picked apart the Indian batting line-up with surgical precision.

The morale-boosting win and familiarity with the conditions — it will be Proteas’ fifth match at this ground in this edition — should give the 2024 edition’s runner-up the edge. At the same time, the Rainbow Nation must be wary of the two-time champion. The West Indies, led by Shai Hope, appears to be in contention for the big prize again, a scenario not many would have predicted at the start of the tournament.

Its strength lies in its batting, which packs a punch. The line-up is stacked with power-hitters, as evidenced by the fact that the West Indies leads the sixes chart (55) in the showpiece. The afternoon match will be played on a red-soil surface that offers true bounce and produces big totals. In such a case, it could play into the hands of Hope’s men.

While both teams aim to extend their winning streaks, the contest will also be keenly followed by India, as the outcome could influence the Men in Blue’s path to the last-four stage.

Less than 48 hours after wilting against South Africa, the Men in Blue limbered up at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Tuesday night. With the Proteas and the West Indies staying way ahead in their Net Run Rate, India has to be at its ruthless best in its next two Super Eight Group 1 games.

As the ICC T20 World Cup cruises towards the business end, India will take on Zimbabwe in this coastal metropolis busy adjusting to the early stirrings of summer. Thursday’s clash is a must-win game for the defending champion, and a batting rejig seems to be in store.

In the nets on either side of the main pitch, the quartet of Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma batted for long. This may well be the top-order while initially Abhishek Sharma plied his left-arm spin. With a meagre 15-run yield from four outings in this championship, the talented opener is awaiting a change in fortune.

Samson cut loose against pace, picking the stands as targets. Set to slip into the yellow shade for Chennai Super Kings in the forthcoming Indian Premier League, he is bound to be a regular fixture at Chepauk. Kishan, Suryakumar and Tilak too freed their arms, and at times the net bowlers were scampering to pick high-catches.

At one point, Kishan let his wicket-keeping instinct get the better of him. Standing as a non-striker, he dropped his bat and caught a hit zooming in from the other net. The nets, split into pace and spin, witnessed steady action.

Even as the squad trained, Rinku Singh was a notable absentee. Apparently he had to return home for a family emergency. And this may well mean that vice-captain Axar Patel could get his spot in the playing XI.

Last minute T20 World Cup entrants Scotland have included Afghan-born uncapped pacer Zainullah Ihsan in their 15-member squad for the ICC event beginning in India and Sri Lanka on February 7.

Scotland have replaced Bangladesh in the tournament with the latter refusing to play in India citing security concerns.

Richie Berrington will captain a strong squad that includes eleven players who were part of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad in West Indies and USA. The team selection on Monday (January 26) was the first made by new head coach Owen Dawkins, following his appointment last month.

Ihsan is the sole first-time call-up, with the fast bowler having recently qualified to play for Scotland. Tom Bruce, Finlay McCreath and Oliver Davidson will all travel to their first World Cup, following their involvement in T20 and ODI squads during the last twelve months.

“The squad selection is subject to all player and staff visa applications being approved. Given the limited notice for Scotland’s participation at the tournament and timescale for selecting players, two travelling reserves have been selected while three others will be non-travelling reserves,” said Cricket Scotland in a statement.

Safyaan Sharif is a squad member of Pakistan lineage and his application will attract more scrutiny.

Head coach Dawkins said the unexpected entry into the World Cup provides a great opportunity for the players.

“It’s been a whirlwind forty-eight hours for everyone at Cricket Scotland, and I know Steve, Trudy Lindblade and everyone in the organisation have been working solidly to get everything sorted for the players and support staff since we learnt we would be participating at the World Cup.

“We’re all very excited and feeling privileged to have this opportunity. The players have been working hard in a fitness phase in recent weeks with Scott Hislen preparing for the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two series in Namibia at the end of March, and I have no doubt that this will help us in the next few weeks,” said Dawkins.

On the selection of Ihsa, head of performance Steve Snell added: “There’s obviously a great opportunity for Zainullah Ihsan, and whenever he’s played at youth level or for the “A” squad he’s shown an exciting range of skills and bowled at genuine pace. We’re delighted for him and excited to see how he performs on his first international tour.” Scotland have replaced Bangladesh in Group C including first-timers Italy, West Indies, England and Nepal.

Squad:

Richie Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Matthew Cross, Bradley Currie, Oliver Davidson, Chris Greaves, Zainullah Ihsan, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Finlay McCreath, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Mark Watt, Bradley Wheal Travelling reserves: Jasper Davidson, Jack Jarvis Non-travelling reserves: Mackenzie Jones, Chris McBride, Charlie Tear.

Bangladesh government’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) reiterated that under no condition would the national team travel to India for the T20 World Cup, despite an ultimatum from the International Cricket Council to the Bangladesh Cricket Board on deciding their participation by January 21.

If BCB remains adamant on not travelling to India for the 20-team tournament, Scotland are likely to replace Bangladesh as per current rankings.

“I am not aware that Scotland will be included in our place. If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and tries to impose pressure on us by setting unreasonable conditions, we will not accept those conditions,” Mr. Nazrul told reporters.

“In the past, there are examples that Pakistan said that they will not travel to India and ICC changed the venue. We have asked to change the venue on logical ground and we cannot be pressurised to play in India by putting illogical pressure,” he added.

The crisis was triggered by the removal of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from Kolkata Knight Riders’ roster for this year’s Indian Premier League on BCCI’s instructions for unspecified “developments all around”.

Citing security concerns and national pride, the BCB responded by announcing its national team won’t travel to India for its group stage games in Kolkata and Mumbai.

BCB wants to play each of the four group stage matches in Sri Lanka, where the marquee India-Pakistan clash will also be held as per the mutually agreed arrangement for ICC events until 2027.

Bangladesh are currently placed in Group C along with the West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal.

In their last meeting with ICC officials in Dhaka, the BCB had proposed swapping positions with Ireland in Group B, which features tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka, Australia, Oman, and Zimbabwe.

Such a move would allow Bangladesh to remain in Sri Lanka for entirety of its group stage engagements.

While the BCB considers it unsafe for its players to travel to India, the ICC’s risk assessment report did not flag any specific or direct threat to the team’s participation in the World Cup.

The bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated in recent months, exacerbated by the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto have cautioned against a very hard-line approach on the controversial subject, with the former saying that decisions taken today would have repercussions 10 years down the line.