Zimbabwe's return home delayed following West Asia airspace closure

ESPNcricinfo understands Zimbabwe were to return home on Emirates flights on Monday, which would take them from Delhi to Dubai to Harare

Firdose Moonda

Published: Mar 1, 2026, 2:10 PM (6 hrs ago)

Zimbabwe have become the first team at the T20 World Cup to be affected by the closure of airspaces in West Asia, and will remain in India for the foreseeable future after their final match against South Africa on Sunday.

Tournament organisers have been exploring alternative routes to get them, and other teams, home as they finish their campaigns at the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. ESPNcricinfo understands that the Zimbabwe contingent was due to return home in batches, with some leaving as early as 4.30am on Monday morning and the rest to follow later in the day. They were booked on Emirates flights, which would take them from Delhi to Dubai and then on to Harare. While it is understood that other airlines and routes are being considered, Zimbabwe are booked to stay at their Delhi hotel until March 4.

"No, not that I've heard of," Zimbabwe's coach Justin Sammons said when asked if there was clarity over the team's travel plans. "When we started the game there wasn't anything. And now we've just been focused on the game, so I've not heard anything since."

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Pakistan, who played their final Super Eight game on Saturday and were knocked out of the tournament, have returned to Lahore from Colombo via a Sri Lankan airlines flight.

On Saturday morning, the USA and Israel exchanged missile strikes with Iran, leading to the closure of airspace over several countries in West Asia, disrupting air travel to the region and also internationally, with several airlines having to cancel flights or change routes.

The ICC, in a statement on Saturday, said it had been monitoring the "evolving situation" and had "activated comprehensive contingency plans to safeguard the travel, logistics and well-being of all stakeholders" at the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"While the crisis in the Middle East has no direct bearing on the conduct of the tournament, the ICC acknowledges that a significant number of personnel - including players, team management, match officials, broadcast teams, and event staff - rely on Gulf hub airports, particularly Dubai (DXB), as key transit points for onward travel to their home countries upon concluding their commitments at the event," the ICC said in a statement.

"The ICC Travel and Logistics team is actively working with major international carriers to identify and secure alternative routing options, including connections through European, South Asian and South-East Asian hubs. The ICC security consultants are liaising with relevant authorities and will provide real-time advisories as the situation develops. A dedicated ICC Travel Support Desk has also been activated."

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket

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