South Africa’s cricket squad, marooned in India due to the closure of international airspace, is set to commence their journey back home starting Wednesday, with all team members expected to depart within the next 36 hours, as confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The South African team, along with the West Indies squad, found themselves stranded post their Twenty20 World Cup participation due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, facing challenges in securing repatriation flights organized by the ICC.
In contrast, England swiftly returned home just two days after their semi-final defeat, leading to discontent from the South African and West Indian camps towards the ICC.
Addressing the criticism, the ICC released a statement on Wednesday, asserting that the decisions made were primarily focused on safety, feasibility, and the well-being of the involved parties.
“The South Africa contingent is scheduled to begin their journey back tonight, with all members anticipated to have completed their travels within the next 36 hours,” stated the ICC.
Emphasizing the paramount importance of safety and welfare, the ICC declared, “Our unwavering priority has been ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals affected. We are committed to only proceeding with travel arrangements deemed safe.”
Meanwhile, Cricket West Indies disclosed on Tuesday that they had secured commercial flights to repatriate their team members back home in three separate groups.