Zimbabwe team stuck in India even after being out of T20 World Cup 2026, crisis on return home due to closure of Dubai airport

New Delhi . The Zimbabwe team, which has finished its campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026, is now in a new trouble. The team’s journey, already eliminated from the Super-8 stage, ended with the last match against South Africa in New Delhi on Sunday, March 1, but amid preparations for returning home, the rising tension in West Asia has added a layer of uncertainty to the entire plan. The return of players and support staff is currently in limbo due to the closure of Dubai International Airport.

Most of the players of the Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe team were planning to leave from Delhi on Monday morning. He had to reach Harare by taking a connecting flight via Dubai. However, airspace in many parts of West Asia has been affected following the US attacks on Iran, due to which Dubai Airport had to be temporarily closed. For this reason the previously scheduled travel plan of the Zimbabwe team has been postponed.

After the defeat to South Africa, Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons admitted that it was not easy for the players to ignore the current situation. He said that the players were definitely worried about returning home, but while coming on the field, everyone’s attention remained focused only on the match. According to Sammons, the team did not receive any new updates until the match started and after that the entire focus remained on the game. Now the team management is waiting for instructions from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Making the situation more complicated is the fact that the team’s all-rounder Graeme Creamer lives in Dubai. In such a situation, his personal travel plans have also been affected. Due to cancellation of connecting flights from Dubai, players and staff may have to find alternative routes. Returning home on Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is being considered as a possible option.

The ICC had issued a statement on Saturday saying that work is being done to arrange alternative flights for players and officials returning from tournaments held in India and Sri Lanka. The board and team management are monitoring the situation and safety is being given top priority.

On the other hand, South Africa is still in the tournament and has to play the semi-final against New Zealand in Kolkata on March 4. South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad also admitted that the situation in West Asia has been a topic of discussion among the players, but the team has kept its focus on the upcoming match.

Overall, Zimbabwe’s World Cup campaign may be over, but the team’s return home now depends on the international situation. Players and support staff are waiting for clear instructions and safe travel arrangements.