T20 World Cup teams stuck in India because of Middle East travel chaos

West Indies and Zimbabwe remain in India, along with the semifinalists at the India and Sri Lanka-cohosted World Cup.Published On 3 Mar 2026The West Indies and Zimbabwe cricket squads and support staff at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have been stranded in India, unable to leave because of airspace closures and travel chaos caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East.Both sides exited the tournament on Sunday at the end of the Super Eights stage and had been scheduled to fly home from India via the United Arab Emirates.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Will the US-Israeli attacks on Iran have an impact on the World Cup?list 2 of 4Barca seek to overturn daunting deficit in Copa del Rey semi with Atleticolist 3 of 4Real Madrid stunned by Getafe at home; fall four points behind Barcalist 4 of 4Arsenal restore five-point lead at top of table with 2-1 win over Chelseaend of listBut after Iran responded to attacks by the United States and Israel on Saturday by firing missiles and drones across the Gulf region, thousands of flights have been cancelled in the busy hubs of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.“The Zimbabwe senior men’s team remains safe and well in India,” Zimbabwe Cricket said in a statement late on Monday.“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.”Cricket West Indies said it was “working closely with the International Cricket Council (ICC), relevant governmental authorities and airline partners to secure the earliest possible safe travel arrangements for the squad and support staff”.The ICC has its headquarters in Dubai, UAE, where the airport was damaged and numerous explosions have been reported in the last couple of days.The cricket world governing body said it had activated comprehensive contingency plans to safeguard everyone associated with the T20 World Cup.Defending champions and tournament cohosts India, England, South Africa and New Zealand all remain in India for the semifinals.