Middle East airspace restrictions delay West Indies cricket team’s departure from India

The West Indies cricket team’s departure from India has been postponed due to international airspace restrictions triggered by security concerns in the Gulf region amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed on Monday.

In an official statement, CWI said the restrictions stem from security threats linked to ongoing military activity in the Gulf, which has disrupted several international flight routes and forced airlines to adjust schedules for safety reasons.

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“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 stated.

CWI emphasised that the safety and well-being of players, coaching staff and officials remain its highest priority.

The board added that it 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 West Indies contingent is currently accommodated safely in India, with CWI continuing to monitor the evolving situation. Fans and stakeholders will be updated once confirmed travel plans are finalised.

The travel delay follows West Indies’ elimination from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after a five-wicket defeat to India in their final Super Eight clash at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Despite going unbeaten during the league stage, the Caribbean side faltered in the Super Eights and missed out on a semi-final berth.

India vs West Indies Super 8 clash sets ICC streaming record

While the result ended West Indies’ campaign, the Super 8 encounter created history off the field. The India-West Indies clash set a new record for peak concurrent streams across ICC digital platforms during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The match surpassed the previous peak set during the 2024 T20 World Cup final, underlining the tournament’s expanding global digital footprint.

According to the ICC, the 2026 edition has already become the most digitally engaged and globally accessible tournament in the event’s history.

ICC.tv has exceeded the total number of users and overall watch time recorded during the entire 2024 event. At the same stage of the tournament, unique users have increased by 28 per cent, while total viewing time has surged by 56 per cent.

On social media, the ICC has crossed 10 billion video views and is on course to surpass the 16 billion views registered in 2024.

The average watch time per unique user has risen to 58 minutes, compared to 47 minutes at the end of the Super 8 stage in 2024, highlighting deeper and more sustained fan engagement worldwide.