South African player Quinton de Kock (ANI Image)
Quinton de Kock has hit out at the International Cricket Council after reports suggested the England cricket team would return home before both the South Africa national cricket team and the West Indies cricket team following their exit from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Travel plans for many teams have been affected by international airspace restrictions associated with the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. As a result, a number of parties remained in India waiting for charter flights organized by the ICC. The West Indies crashed out of the tournament on 1 March after being defeated by the Indian national cricket team in the Super 8 stage, while South Africa’s campaign ended with a semi-final loss to the New Zealand national cricket team.
Since then, the two teams have remained in India awaiting travel arrangements. The Caribbean side remained in the country for almost a week after their elimination, while the Proteas waited for three days. On the other hand, England lost to India in the second semi-final on Thursday, but are scheduled to leave for their home country on Saturday, just two days after their exit. This situation prompted De Kock to question the apparent imbalance, suggesting that some teams may have more influence in international cricket.
Quinton de Kock’s Instagram story
Quinton de Kock wrote on Instagram Stories: “Funny @icc, we haven’t heard anything! Meanwhile, England are somehow leaving before us? @westindies and @proteasmencsa are in the dark! Strange that different teams have more appeal than others,” Quinton de Kock wrote on Instagram Stories. Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan also raised similar concerns about the travel situation. He wondered why England were able to leave early despite other teams being stuck in India for longer.
Post by Michael Vaughan
“England are out on Thursday, get a charter to go home today.. West Indies are out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata.. South Africa are in the same position.. This is where all power is wrong.. All teams in this situation should be treated the same.. Just because you are more powerful at the ICC table should not count.. #JustSaying,” he wrote on X. According to ESPNCricinfo, England are expected to depart on Saturday, while both South Africa and West Indies are likely to depart on Sunday once ICC-organised charter flights become available. The England flight is scheduled to go directly to London. Meanwhile, South Africa and West Indies are scheduled to travel first to Johannesburg, after which the Caribbean side will continue their journey to Antigua. However, neither team has officially confirmed the exact timing of their departure. The frustration within the West Indies camp was palpable. Head coach Darren Sammy posted ‘Day 6’ on X on Friday, highlighting how long the team has been stranded in Kolkata since their match against India at Eden Gardens. Earlier in the tournament, the Zimbabwe national cricket team also faced travel delays after playing their final match against South Africa on March 1 in New Delhi, before eventually leaving India on March 4.