Star England cricketer Jonny Bairstow has made an urgent plea for help after becoming stranded in the United Arab Emirates with the England Lions squad amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
Bairstow, who is touring Abu Dhabi in his role as Lions coach under former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, took to social media on Sunday morning as tensions rose across the region.
“If anyone has any info in Dubai please get in touch. Be safe,” Bairstow originally wrote.
He later directed his appeal to the highest levels of government, targeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the British Embassy in the UAE. “If anyone has any info in Dubai please get in touch safe @britishembassyuae @keirstarmer,” he wrote.
In a separate post, Bairstow also called out the airlines after the team’s travel plans were disrupted. “@emirates we haven’t seen any cancellation of communication after the flight. Tried communication lines but nothing. Could someone please contact us,” he wrote on X.
The 25-strong England Lions contingent, including players and support staff, was due to play the Pakistan Shaheens in Dubai on Sunday. However, the match was canceled after the resumption of hostilities in the region. The two sides have already played one match earlier in the tour.
The crisis escalated after US and Israeli forces launched what they described as a “preemptive” strike against Iran on Saturday, targeting what they said was Tehran’s nuclear weapons programme. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has been killed in a joint operation.
Iran responded with retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and several countries in the Middle East. Loud explosions were reported near Dubai and over Doha as Iranian forces targeted neighboring Gulf states.
With UAE airspace currently closed, the England Lions team and coaching staff are unable to leave the country. Family members back home are understood to be anxiously awaiting updates.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that it is monitoring the situation closely and remains in contact with the relevant authorities.
In a statement issued on Saturday, February 28, the ECB said: “The safety and security of our teams and staff is our highest priority. We are in contact with security experts and the government regarding current events in the Middle East and are following official advice.”
The board also confirmed that the second 50-over match between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens scheduled for Sunday March 1 will not go ahead.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
01 March 2026 15:54 IST
