Mumbai: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken action to coordinate the safe return of the West Indies and Zimbabwe teams as the two teams have been delayed in leaving India due to their withdrawal from the 2026 T20 World Cup. International flight disruptions caused by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have forced changes to travel schedules, impacting both teams.
“ICC is helping West Indies and Zimbabwe with their return travel plans. No teams are stuck. Both team managements are in touch with the ICC teams. ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta is in regular and close contact with the senior management of West Indies Cricket and Zimbabwe Cricket,” a source closely following the developments told TOI on Tuesday.
West Indies have been stranded in Kolkata after losing to India in the Super Eights on Sunday, March 1. CWI said on Monday, “Cricket West Indies (CWI) would like to inform that the West Indies senior men’s team’s departure from India following their withdrawal from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has been delayed due to international airspace restrictions. These restrictions are a direct result of the security threat posed by military operations in the Gulf, which has affected several international flight routes and required airlines to adjust scheduled flight services for security reasons.”
“CWI is working closely with the International Cricket Federation, relevant government agencies and airline partners to ensure safe travel arrangements for the team and support staff at the earliest possible opportunity. The safety and wellbeing of our players, coaches and officials remains our top priority. The team is currently staying safe and well in accommodation in India. We will continue to monitor developments closely and will provide further updates once confirmed travel arrangements are finalized.”
The travel chaos stems from U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, which prompted retaliatory actions and widespread airspace closures across the Middle East. Dubai Airports, a key hub for international travel, completely suspended operations before resuming limited flights as the conflict escalated.
