Zimbabwe have become the first side at the 2026 T20 World Cup to face travel disruption due to the closure of airspace across parts of West Asia, and will remain in India for now following their final fixture against South Africa on Sunday.
Event organisers are assessing alternative travel arrangements for Zimbabwe and other teams completing their campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. The Zimbabwe squad had been scheduled to depart in stages, with some members set to leave at 4.30 am on Monday and the remainder later the same day. Their itinerary involved Emirates flights from Delhi to Dubai and onward to Harare. Although other carriers and routes are being explored, the team is currently booked to stay at their hotel in Delhi until March 4.
When asked about clarity on the travel situation, Zimbabwe coach Justin Sammons said: “No, not that I’ve heard of. 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.”
Pakistan, who exited the tournament after their final Super Eight match on Saturday, travelled back to Lahore from Colombo on a Sri Lankan Airlines flight.
The disruption follows missile exchanges between the USA and Israel with Iran on Saturday morning, prompting the closure of airspace over several West Asian countries. The development has affected both regional and international aviation, with numerous airlines cancelling services or rerouting flights.
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In a statement issued on Saturday, the ICC confirmed it was tracking 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.”
