T20 World Cup | No clarity on travel plans, says Zimbabwe coach Sammons

In the wake of the Iran-Israel conflict that has led to the shutting of the airspace over the Middle-East, Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons said the team is awaiting clarity on its travel plans back home after its exit from the T20 World Cup on Sunday. Zimbabwe’s players and support staff were initially supposed to fly back in three batches via Dubai.

“We had no clarity on travel plans before the start of the game. We haven’t heard anything yet,” Sammons told the media after Zimbabwe’s five-wicket loss to South Africa.

The situation is all the more complicated for 39-year-old Graeme Cremer given that he lives in Dubai.

In response to a query on whether the ongoing geopolitical crisis has been a distraction, Sammons said: “I would hope not. You still believe that the focus is on the game. But at the end of the day, it is in the back of everyone’s minds about how we are going to go home. The conversations are happening in little groups.”

A popular fan group from Zimbabwe, known as Castle Corner, was in attendance at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday. These supporters have rescheduled their flights and will fly back through Ethiopia on Monday night.

While South Africa has a semifinal against New Zealand to focus on, coach Shukri Conrad said the issue has been a topic of discussion among his players.

“It comes up in every conversation. You can’t wish it away. It is there. With our manager and the ICC, we firmly believe that all the right decisions will be made. So yeah, all our focus is on Kolkata and playing New Zealand on Wednesday,” said Conrad.