The issue surfaced soon after the tournament ended, with the India national cricket team defeating New Zealand in the final match at Narendra Modi Stadium. While most teams completed their matches earlier, not all were able to travel home immediately.
The travel disruption is due to the ongoing conflict in parts of the Middle East and West Asia. Due to security concerns, several international airspaces have been restricted or closed. As a result, many flights have been affected, making it difficult for teams to find available routes out of India.
Meanwhile, the England national cricket team managed to fly out of the country earlier. England had lost their semifinal to India on March 5, but the team returned home without the same delays. This difference in travel timing sparked debate among fans and cricket experts.
Michael Vaughan was among the first to question the situation. The former England captain said all teams should be treated equally in such circumstances. He pointed out that no team should receive special treatment simply because of influence within the ICC.
According to Vaughan, fairness should be the priority when decisions like these are made. His comments quickly drew attention on social media, with many cricket followers also asking why England were able to leave earlier while other teams had to wait.
However, the ICC has now responded to these claims, rejecting any suggestion of bias. According to the governing body, travel arrangements were based entirely on logistical and safety factors.
On the other hand, other teams faced difficulties due to limited flight options and restrictions on several international routes. These complications meant that the West Indies and South Africa had to wait until alternative travel plans could be arranged.
The situation also caused frustration within the West Indies camp. Head coach Daren Sammy openly expressed his feelings on the social media platform X. In one of his posts, he wrote that he wanted to go home, showing how tiring the wait had become for the team.
Later reports suggested that a chartered aircraft was being arranged for the Caribbean team to help them return home. Meanwhile, the South African team was expected to depart shortly as travel routes were gradually being cleared.
While the ICC has clarified its position, the incident has still sparked discussion about travel planning during major tournaments. With global tensions affecting international travel, organisers may need to plan more flexible arrangements in the future to avoid similar situations.
