Two international cricket teams found themselves stranded in India on Monday following their elimination from the Twenty20 World Cup, as escalating Middle Eastern tensions forced the closure of major flight routes.
Both the West Indies and Zimbabwe squads announced Monday that their planned departures from India have been postponed due to widespread airspace restrictions throughout the Gulf region, where conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel has intensified.
The West Indies squad was knocked out of tournament contention following a five-wicket defeat to host nation India on Sunday, failing to advance to the semifinal round. Zimbabwe’s team had already been eliminated after suffering defeats in all three of their Super Eights competition matches.
Thousands of flights have been grounded across Gulf nations, creating major disruptions at some of the planet’s most heavily trafficked aviation centers and leaving the cricket teams with no clear path home.
Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed their team’s situation through a social media announcement, stating: “The Zimbabwe men’s team remains safe and well in India… the squad was scheduled to return home via Dubai.”
Officials from Cricket West Indies indicated they are coordinating with the International Cricket Council to arrange secure transportation options for their players and support staff back to their home countries.
The Dubai-based ICC had previously announced the activation of backup travel protocols for their own staff members, who were also scheduled to transit through Dubai on their way to various destinations.
Cricket West Indies emphasized their priorities in a statement, saying: “The safety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials remain our highest priority.”
