Travel turmoil hits West Indies after T20 World Cup exit; stranded in Kolkata amid Middle East tensions

West Indies failed to reach the semifinals after a five-wicket loss to India in their Super 8 clash at Eden Gardens on Sunday

Updated on: Mar 3, 2026, 08:37:15 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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It’s not just Zimbabwe. Players and support staff of the West Indies squad have also been left stranded in Kolkata following their exit from the 2026 T20 World Cup, after travel plans were disrupted by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

General view as West Indies players line up before the match against India last Sunday (REUTERS)

West Indies failed to reach the semifinals after a five-wicket loss to India in their Super 8 clash at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Zimbabwe had been eliminated a few days earlier following defeat to India in their own Super 8 fixture.

However, neither team has been able to return home, with thousands of flights cancelled across Gulf nations, disrupting some of the world’s busiest transit hubs amid rising tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.

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Cricket West Indies (CWI) issued a statement confirming it is working closely with the ICC to arrange safe travel for players and staff. “The safety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials remain our highest priority,” CWI said.

The ICC had earlier acknowledged the situation and activated contingency plans for personnel scheduled to transit through Dubai for onward journeys.

“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,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed on Monday that its players and staff are safe in Delhi, with administrators working on alternative travel arrangements. The team had played its final World Cup match in the capital on Sunday and was scheduled to fly back to Harare via Dubai on Monday.

“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,” ZC said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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