West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein took to social media to express his frustration over the delayed return of Team India following their exit from the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup and even jokingly asked football star Cristiano Ronaldo to “save” him. International travel was disrupted as tensions escalated after the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran led to flight cancellations and heightened alerts at several airports in West Asia.After their T20 World Cup campaign ended in the subcontinent, West Indies players and support staff faced travel issues back home due to canceled flights related to the situation in West Asia. The development came despite Cricket West Indies (CWI) on Thursday saying it was working to secure a charter flight for the team to take them home within 24 hours.“At this point, it’s better to ask Cristiano Ronaldo to send a plane to come save me, okay?” Hosein said on X.The Caribbean side have been in Kolkata since their tournament ended with a five-wicket defeat to India at the Eden Gardens last Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy also asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to clarify the team’s travel plans.Soon after, the CWI released a statement confirming that efforts were underway to secure the team’s return.“During a high-level call today involving CWI, ICC officials, team management representatives and player representatives, it was confirmed that a chartered flight is currently being prepared for the departure of the team from India, expected to depart within the next 24 hours,” CWI said in a statement. The departure time remains subject to final air traffic approval. The team remains safe and arrangements are still being finalised,” the governing body added.“The CWI has remained in constant dialogue with the players, team management and the International Cricket Council (ICC) since their last match against India. While the situation remains complex and volatile due to international airspace restrictions resulting from security concerns in the Persian Gulf region, the CWI assures the public that all precautionary measures are being taken to ensure the team’s safe return to the Caribbean,” CWI said.There is also a possibility that several players may not travel back immediately and may remain in India to join their respective franchises for the upcoming Indian Premier League.
