Dubai, March 11 The ICC expressed sympathy for the international players stranded in India after the T20 World Cup, but criticized "misinformed and unhelpful" suggestions that "anything other than safety" is driving the travel plans that have been thrown into disarray by the West Asia conflict.
The war, which began with the American and Israeli bombing of Iran last month, has led to the closure of airspace over the Gulf, leaving flight schedules in chaos.
The ICC said it empathizes with the stranded players, particularly from South Africa and the West Indies, but that "safety, feasibility, and welfare" are being carefully considered when devising alternative routes.
The ICC said that the South African contingent will begin departing for home on Wednesday night, and all 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 from India within the next 24 hours, according to the ICC.
This followed the cancellation of their charter flight, which was scheduled to take off from Kolkata due to logistical issues.
The ICC faced criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan and South African star David Miller, who insinuated that England players were given better travel arrangements as they were able to leave within a day of their semifinal loss. Before this, West Indies coach Darren Sammy had expressed frustration at the lack of updates from the world body.
The ICC responded without naming anyone specifically.
"The ICC rejects any suggestion that these decisions have been driven by anything other than safety, feasibility, and welfare. Suggestions to this effect from various media platforms, made by people uninformed of the situation, are as unhelpful as they are incorrect," said the world governing body of cricket.
"There is no link between the arrangements made for 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 the closure of airspace in Dubai.
"We understand that players, coaches, support staff, and their families who have completed their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns are eager to return home.
"The fact 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 in 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 that due to the current situation, which is beyond 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 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."