The Zimbabwe Cricket Team had a memorable T20 World Cup 2026. They beat Australia and Sri Lanka before making it to the Super 8s. After the three games, they were supposed to head home but travel restrictions around the globe made them wait in India. Fascinatingly, they celebrated the ‘Holi’ festival and now are heading back.
After being stranded in India for a few days due to flight disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East, the Sikandar Raza-led side has started departing for Harare. Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) stepped in to arrange alternative travel plans for the squad after their original routes were affected. Alongside Zimbabwe, the West Indies cricket team is currently in India and there has been no update on them yet.
Zimbabwe had completed their T20 World Cup campaign with a five-wicket defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Their return trip was originally scheduled for Monday, but escalating tensions in West Asia led to widespread airspace closures, forcing several airlines to suspend services.
ICC steps in after travel plans collapse
Zimbabwe Cricket announced that the players and support staff are now travelling back home in batches after the ICC secured new arrangements. In a statement shared by the board, it confirmed that the team is already on its way back to Zimbabwe following the disruption.
“Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) 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.”
Because of limited flight availability and revised routes, the entire squad will not travel together. The first group left India on Wednesday, while the remaining members are expected to depart on Friday afternoon.
Addis Ababa route used for Zimbabwe’s return
Originally, Zimbabwe’s squad was scheduled to travel from New Delhi to Harare via Dubai on Emirates flights. However, the airspace disruptions in West Asia forced airlines to suspend or reroute several services, leaving the team temporarily stuck in India.
According to reports, the ICC worked with airlines to secure a new route through Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. Some members of the squad have already taken that route on Ethiopian Airlines, while the remaining players will follow soon. The disruption came after rising tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran led to temporary airspace closures across parts of West Asia. Since Dubai is a major international transit hub, the situation affected several teams and passengers travelling out of the region.
