Last South Africa, West Indies Players Leave India After Flight Delays

Mumbai: The final batch of players from South Africa and the West Indies have left India after being stranded for more than a week following the T20 World Cup, cricket's governing body said Thursday.

International air travel was thrown into chaos after airlines cancelled or rerouted flights because of the war in the Middle East.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said that in the last 24 hours "South Africa's remaining 29 members and the West Indies' final 16 members have departed on flights to their respective homelands".

It added the departures brought to a close "a complex operation that has taken place under exceptionally challenging global travel conditions".

Cricket West Indies had called the uncertainty surrounding their return "increasingly distressing" and pointed to "continued delays with charter flight arrangements organised by the ICC".

The two-time champions exited the competition on March 1.

South Africa's World Cup ended on March 4 after their semi-final defeat.

The ICC on Wednesday rejected suggestions of bias after England departed 36 hours after their semi-final exit on a charter flight.