Zimbabwe Cricket’s senior men’s team, led by Sikandar Raza, is heading back home after competing in the Men’s T20 World Cup in India. Due to transit disruptions, the International Cricket Council (ICC) organized alternative travel arrangements for the team. Their journey was delayed after a defeat to South Africa in New Delhi, with plans to return home in batches starting Monday morning.
The team’s original travel schedule was affected by airspace closures in the Middle East following missile launches by Iran in response to US and Israeli strikes. This led to flight cancellations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, complicating the team’s return journey to Harare. Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed that the players will now return home in groups, with the first batch departing on Wednesday and the final group scheduled to leave on Friday.
The ICC facilitated new transit arrangements for the team, with Addis Ababa in Ethiopia serving as the new point for their journey back from New Delhi. Some team members have already departed, while others are set to leave via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines. This change in transit points was also considered for match officials not involved in the T20 World Cup knockout stages, offering an alternative to Dubai for their return flights.
The West Indies team faced a similar situation, postponing their departure from India due to airspace closures in the Middle East after the Super Eights in Kolkata. Cricket West Indies is collaborating with the ICC and relevant authorities to ensure safe and prompt travel arrangements for their squad and support staff.
