New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) The Zimbabwe cricket team’s return home from India after a successful ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has been delayed because of the air travel disruptions caused by the crisis in the Middle East, the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) informed in a release on Monday.
Captained by Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe surprised everyone by storming into the Super 8 undefeated, scripting victories against former champions Australia and Sri Lanka. Though they lost all three matches in Group 1 in the Super 8 stage, Zimbabwe ended their campaign with their heads held high as they had exceeded the expectations of most fans by reaching the Super 8.
But their celebrations on returning home are on hold as they teams is unable to board the flight because of the war-like situation following a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran. They were scheduled to travel via Dubai, but with the airport there closed, they are waiting for alternate arrangements to return home.
“Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) confirms that the Zimbabwe senior men’s team remains safe and well in India following the conclusion of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. The squad was scheduled to return home via Dubai, but travel plans have been affected by the evolving situation in the Middle East, which has disrupted key transit routes,” Zimbabwe Cricket said in a statement on Monday.
ZC said it is waiting for the ICC to work out its contingency measures to secure alternative travel arrangements.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) has activated contingency measures and is working with international carriers to secure alternative travel arrangements. ZC remains in constant communication with the ICC and team management on the ground to ensure the squad’s safe and timely return.
“Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available,” it said.
Earlier, Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons said the team’s travel plans remain uncertain after their Men’s T20 World Cup campaign came to an end with a five-wicket loss to South Africa in their last Super Eights clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Amid the situation in the Middle East cities like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait, which have been witnessing strikes from the Iranian forces and airport operations being fully suspended, Zimbabwe’s players and coaches were originally scheduled to return home in three batches.
One of the squad members, Graeme Cremer, lives in Dubai with his wife Merna, who’s a pilot with the Emirates, and their two children. It is understood that veteran leg-spinner Cremer has been quite distressed by the strikes happening in Dubai.
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone interaction after the match ended, Sammons acknowledged the uncertainty over their plans to go back home, but insisted the players had maintained their focus on the game. “I would hope not. You still believe that the focus is on the game. But at the end of the day, I’m sure it’s in the back of everyone’s minds.
“Like you’re going home, but how are you going home when you’re going home? So it’s still there, the conversations are happening in little groups, you can see that. But I still believe they had a full focus on the game when they stepped over that rope,” he said.
–IANS
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