ICC Arranges Flights For Teams Stranded In India

Amid West Asia crisis, England, South Africa and West Indies to depart over the weekend.

England, South Africa and West Indies are set to depart India over the weekend on chartered flights arranged by the ICC following disruption to commercial air travel due to the ongoing conflict involving US, Israel and Iran.

A source told PTI that England, who went down to India in the second semi-final on Thursday, are expected to leave from Mumbai on Saturday evening on a direct flight to London.

West Indies and South Africa are the other two teams still in the country despite their campaigns having ended.

While the Windies were knocked out of the T20 World Cup after India defeated them by five wickets at the Eden Gardens on Sunday, South Africa's campaign ended after their defeat to New Zealand here in the first semi-final on Wednesday.

Both South Africa and West Indies will travel together from Kolkata on a another charter flight.

The two sides are likely to fly first to Johannesburg before the West Indies contingent continues onward to Antigua.

The exact departure time is yet to be confirmed but the flight is expected to leave on Sunday.

A section of the South African group, including members of the team management along with players Keshav Maharaj, Jason Smith and George Linde, will head to New Zealand on Sunday for a limited overs tour beginning on March 15.

Sammy's plea answered

The Cricket West Indies had on Thursday confirmed that arrangements were being made for a charter flight to take the team back home after they remained stuck in the city for more than four days due to international airspace restrictions in the Gulf region.

The development had come hours after West Indies head coach Daren Sammy voiced his frustration over the delay on social media in a post that he "just wanna go home".

Following the arrangement he had posted "Got an update. That's all WI wanted."