West Indies head coach Darren Sammy took to social media on Wednesday to express his frustration after being stranded in India following his team’s elimination from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“I want to go home,” Sammy wrote on X, a simple message that captured the growing anxiety of cricketers caught up in an unprecedented travel crisis.
The The West Indies cricket team is stuck in Kolkata following their withdrawal from the tournament as escalating tensions in the Middle East led to the closure of airspace across West Asia. caribbean side, which played its Super 8 match against India in Kolkatahe was supposed to fly out of India shortly after his liquidation.
However, the shutdown of Dubai Airport and the wider closure of West Asian airspace severely disrupted international flight schedules, leaving the team unable to return home as planned. What should have been a straightforward journey home turned into a wait with no clear end in sight.
Thousands of flights through major transit hubs have been canceled due to the ongoing military conflict in West Asia. US and Israeli attacks on Iran, followed by retaliation from Tehran, disrupted air traffic through the region and teams scrambled to find alternative routes home.
The crisis has affected sporting events around the world. Competitions were postponed in several countries, while teams competing elsewhere were unable to travel.
West Indies are not the only cricket team stuck in India. Team Zimbabwe faced the same problem but managed to find a way out with the help of the ICC.
According to a Zimbabwe Cricket statement, the ICC stepped in to make alternative travel arrangements after their original flights via Dubai on Emirates were cancelled. The team is now returning to Harare in batches via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
“Due to flight availability and revised routing, the team will return to Harare in batches. The first group of players departed India today, Wednesday, while the last group is scheduled to depart on Friday afternoon,” the management said.
Zimbabwe’s journey home took a completely different route than planned, but at least they have a route. However, there has been no official update for the West Indies on their tour plans.
For Sammy and his players, the wait continues. Their World Cup campaign may be over, but getting home is proving to be an even bigger challenge.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
March 5, 2026 1:44 PM IST
