Some Teams Favoured—South Africa Criticises ICC

Discontent has emerged among several teams following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, as disparities in travel arrangements organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) have come under scrutiny. The West Indies were eliminated on 1 March, followed by South Africa on 4 March. Yet, England, which exited later, departed India ahead of both teams, sparking frustration and raising questions about the fairness of ICC’s management.

England’s exit came on 5 March after losing the semi-final to India, but within two days, Harry Brook and his teammates were flown back home on a chartered flight on 7 March. In contrast, both South Africa and the West Indies have remained in Kolkata, awaiting their scheduled departures on 8 March.

South African batter David Miller openly criticised the ICC for what he described as unequal treatment. In an Instagram post, he remarked, “The funny thing is, England is leaving tonight despite being eliminated after us, while West Indies and South Africa are still waiting here in Kolkata.”

West Indies head coach Daren Sammy responded within the same thread, urging Miller to “say it louder so those behind can hear.” Miller later intensified his criticism, noting, “It takes ICC almost no time to arrange a chartered flight for England, yet West Indies has been waiting seven days and South Africa four. We are still in limbo.”

Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s wicketkeeper-batsman, echoed similar sentiments on Instagram, writing, “ICC, we haven’t received any updates, yet England is somehow leaving ahead of us? West Indies and South Africa are completely in the dark! It’s strange how some teams have so much more influence than others.”

Even former England captain Michael Vaughan weighed in, posting on X, “England left on Thursday and are already on a chartered flight home. West Indies exited last Sunday and remain in Kolkata. South Africa is in the same position. Clearly, the balance of power is skewed.” He added, “All teams should be treated equally; no team should gain advantage simply due to influence at the ICC table.”

The ICC’s travel coordination has also been complicated by wider geopolitical factors. Heightened tensions in the Middle East following attacks involving the United States and Israel have led to temporary airspace restrictions, affecting flights to and from India. Several visiting teams, including Zimbabwe, had to delay their departures after being eliminated from the tournament.

The table below summarises the teams’ eliminations and their respective waiting periods for chartered flights:

The uneven travel arrangements have sparked widespread debate on social media, with fans and analysts calling for greater transparency and fairness in ICC operations. Many argue that the governing body must ensure equal treatment for all teams, reinforcing the principle that cricket tournaments should be free from undue influence or preferential treatment.