South Africa batter David Miller joined the likes of Quinton de Kock and Michael Vaughan in hitting out at the International Cricket Council (ICC) for giving preferential treatment to England for flying back home from India after they concluded the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. The escalating tensions between the USA/Israel, and Iran have led to airspace restrictions in the Middle East, and travel plans have been disrupted worldwide. This has resulted in several teams not being able to leave India on schedule.
Both West Indies and South Africa are stuck in India, waiting to fly home. The Windies crashed out of the T20 World Cup after losing to India in the Super 8s on Sunday, March 1, while the Proteas lost the semi-final against New Zealand on March 4. On the other hand, England was eliminated on March 5 after losing to India in the second semi-final.
However, according to an ESPNCricinfo report, England were able to head back home before both South Africa and the West Indies after the ICC organised a chartered flight. The other two teams are expected to travel back home on Sunday, March 8.
The fact that England was able to leave before the other two teams, who had been stranded in India longer, did not please Miller, and he didn’t mince his words in calling out the separate treatment for all the parties involved.
“Funny that England gets eliminated after West Indies and South Africa and gets on a charter back home tonight. While West Indies and South Africa still wait for answers in Kolkata,” Miller commented on the Instagram post of ESPNcricinfo.
To this remark, the West Indies head coach Daren Sammy replied back saying, “@davidmillersa12 a little louder for those in the back to hear please sir.”
The left-handed middle-order batter pulled no punches and went on to further state, “@darensammy88 it doesn’t take @icc long to organise England charter. West Indies have been waiting for seven days for a charter and South Africa coming on 4 days now. And yet we still wait,” Miller said further.
Daren Sammy’s plea
On Saturday night, West Indies coach Sammy, also the two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain, pleaded for divine intervention to allow the side to head back home.
“Dear Lord, I put this situation in your hands, and I pray that you bless everyone handling it. Give them all that is required to get us all safely to our destination sooner than later. These I ask in your precious name. Amen,” Sammy wrote on Instagram Stories.
Earlier on Saturday, both de Kock and Vaughan hit out at the world body, ICC, for having separate stances for different teams, questioning how England got to head back home ahead of the two other teams, who have been in India for a longer duration than the Three Lions.
According to ESPNcricinfo, West Indies, along with South Africa, will first go to Johannesburg and then to Antigua. However, both teams are awaiting official confirmation from the ICC regarding the travel plans.
