South Africa and West Indies cricket team (Agency photo)
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has criticized what he believes is unequal treatment of teams following their exit from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, noting that some sides are still stuck in India while others have already been allowed to leave.England exited the tournament after losing in the semi-final to the Indian cricket team on Thursday. According to Vaughan, the England team are set to return home on a charter flight shortly after the defeat.
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However, the situation was very different for other teams. The West Indies cricket team, which was eliminated last Sunday after a five-wicket loss to India in the Super Eights, is still waiting in Kolkata for a comeback.
The South Africa national cricket team is also stuck in the same city after their semi-final defeat to the New Zealand national cricket team on March 4.Turning to X, Vaughan questioned the disparity and suggested that the influence at the global level of the ICC should not determine how teams are treated once they exit the tournament.“England is out on Thursday, get your rent today..
“West Indies were bowled out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata.. SA are in the same position.. This is where power is all wrong.. All teams in this situation should be treated the same.. Just because you are stronger at the ICC table should not count..”, Vaughan wrote.
Post by Michael Vaughan
Travel complications are largely due to charter flights organized by the ICC being affected by international airspace restrictions linked to security concerns in the Gulf region amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran.Frustration over the delay was also evident within the West Indies camp. Head coach Darren Sammy recently shared a short but telling message on X that reflects the mood of the team. “I just want to go home,” the former West Indies captain posted.The tournament is now drawing to a close, with the defending champions, the Indian national cricket team, set to take on the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on Sunday in Ahmedabad. The competition began on February 7 at venues in India and Sri Lanka.