West Indies' return from India delayed due to Gulf airspace restrictions

NEW DELHI: The West Indies cricket team’s departure from India has been delayed because of international airspace restrictions linked to security concerns in the Gulf region, Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed on Monday.

In an official statement, CWI said, "These restrictions are a direct result of the security threats posed by military action in the Gulf Region, which has impacted several international flight routes and required airlines to adjust scheduled services for safety reasons."



The board stressed that the safety and well-being of players, coaches and officials remain its top priority.

"CWI is working closely with the International Cricket Council (ICC), relevant governmental authorities, and airline partners to secure the earliest possible safe travel arrangements for the squad and support staff," the statement added.

The squad is currently staying safely in India, with CWI closely tracking developments. Fans and stakeholders will be updated once travel plans are confirmed.

The delay follows the West Indies’ exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after a five-wicket defeat to India in their final Super Eight clash at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. After going unbeaten in the league stage, the Caribbean side stumbled in the Super Eights and failed to qualify for the semi-finals.

In their last match, West Indies posted 195/4, with Roston Chase (40), Shai Hope (32) and Shimron Hetmyer (27) contributing, before an unbroken 76-run stand between Jason Holder (37*) and Rovman Powell (34*) lifted the total. Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling effort with figures of 2/36.

India successfully chased down the target, powered by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 97 off 50 balls, along with contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (18 off 16) and Tilak Varma (27 off 15), sealing a comfortable five-wicket victory.

The West Indies are the two-time champions of the Men’s T20 World Cup, having lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2016.