Overview
- An ICC-arranged charter from Kolkata to Johannesburg for West Indies and South Africa was canceled on Tuesday due to airspace clearance and logistical issues.
- The ICC has now booked individual commercial flights for players, with chairman Jay Shah contacting squads to assure safe travel.
- Roughly 12 West Indies players with 10 support staff and 12 South Africa players with 2 support staff remain in Kolkata pending new itineraries.
- Three South African players — Keshav Maharaj, George Linde and Jason Smith — and team management left earlier for a New Zealand T20I series starting March 15, while some West Indies players are set to stay in India for IPL duties.
- Airspace restrictions tied to the US/Israel–Iran conflict disrupted Gulf routes; England departed earlier via an unaffected path, drawing player criticism that the ICC denies as it cites safety and routing constraints.