Zimbabwe’s T20 World Cup journey ended last week. But their return home did not begin smoothly. The team was stranded in India after Gulf airspace was shut following the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
The squad was scheduled to fly out of Delhi on 2nd March. Their original route was through Dubai on an Emirates flight. However, the closure of the airspace disrupted those plans. As a result, the players had to wait in Delhi while alternative arrangements were made.
The International Cricket Council later stepped in to organise new travel routes for the team. The players are now travelling back to Harare in batches through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Confirming the development, Zimbabwe Cricket released a statement on X.
“Zimbabwe Cricket confirms that the Zimbabwe senior men’s team participating in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 are on their way home from India after the International Cricket Council secured alternative travel arrangements following recent transit disruptions,” the board said.
It also explained why the squad would return in phases.
“Due to flight availability and revised routing, the squad will return to Harare in batches. The first group of players departed India today, Wednesday, while the final group is scheduled to leave on Friday afternoon,” the statement added.
Zimbabwe had an impressive tournament run. The side stunned both Australia and Sri Lanka to reach the Super Eights before being knocked out of the competition.
Meanwhile, players of the West Indies cricket team were also stuck in India because of the same travel disruption. However, there has been no official update yet on their return plans.
