The Middle East conflict continues to affect cricket. Zimbabwe and the West Indies can’t leave for home despite their T20 World Cup 2026 campaigns ending. Jonny Bairstow is stuck in Dubai with his family. Now, the Cricket World Cup 2027 is also getting affected.
Middle East conflict’s impact on cricket increases
A tri-series involving the UAE, Nepal, and Oman in Kathmandu, which was originally scheduled for November 2025 but was rescheduled due to the Nepal Premier League 2025, has been postponed. The tri-series is part of the 2023-27 Cricket World Cup League 2, through which teams can qualify for the Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), and Oman Cricket were monitoring the situation. Initially, the airspace in the entire region was closed. Despite limited flights restarting in the UAE and Oman, it has been decided to postpone the series, which was to be played from March 10 to 20 at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
The UAE cricket team was to leave for Nepal on March 6. But that won’t be happening. CAN announced the postponement and stated that the tri-series will be rescheduled for a later time.
“In light of the current situation in the Middle East, the CWC League 2 matches scheduled to begin on March 10 in Kathmandu have been postponed until further notice. The affected fixtures include the matches involving Oman, the UAE, and Nepal. The rescheduled dates will be announced in the coming days following further consultations,” CAN said.
The 2023-27 Cricket World Cup League 2 was supposed to end on April 12 after a tri-series between Scotland, Oman and Namibia at Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek.
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