West Indies and South African cricketers have finally received their long-awaited tour plans from India, ending days of uncertainty and frustration in the wake of their respective T20 World Cup eliminations.
The two teams, which have been stuck in Kolkata since the matches ended last week, are set to depart on a chartered flight early Tuesday morning.
The flight will take them to Johannesburg, from where the West Indies team will continue to Antigua.
The development comes after a tumultuous period for the teams, who were initially told they would be out on Sunday March 8. The revised itinerary was confirmed to the players and management only on Sunday afternoon.
While the majority of the two teams will endure a long wait, a handful of South Africa’s squads will make a quick exit from India on Sunday evening.
Off-spinner Keshav Maharaj will leave along with the entire team management along with Jason Smith and George Linde. They head directly to New Zealand for the five-match T20I series starting on March 15.
The logistics nightmare arose from the crisis in West Asia, which led to the closure or severe restriction of key airspaces, forcing a complete overhaul of planned trade routes.
The knock-on effect has left players from both camps agitated by the delay.
West Indies have been in Kolkata since their Super Eight loss to India on March 1. South Africa’s stay was extended following their semi-final loss to New Zealand on 4 March.
The growing frustration is evident on social media. West Indies head coach Darren Sammy took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his displeasure, while several South African stars including Quinton de Kock and David Miller have been openly critical on Instagram.
For the West Indies, the wait is especially fraught with false hope. Reports emerged on Thursday that a chartered flight had been secured, and only those plans would come to fruition.
A subsequent statement from Cricket West Indies (CWI) clarified that the initial confidence followed a “high-level call” involving the CWI, ICC officials, a team management representative and a players’ representative.
“The CWI has been in constant dialogue with the players, team management and the International Cricket Council since the last match against India,” the statement said.
“While the situation remains complex and fluid due to international airspace restrictions arising from security concerns in the Gulf region, the CWI assures the public that every precaution is being taken to ensure the crew’s safe return to the Caribbean,” the statement added.
In contrast, the Mumbai-based England team faced no such delays. They left for London directly on Saturday evening.