Middle East Crisis: ECB Calls Off England Lions’ Remaining Matches in UAE, Cancel Women’s Camp in Abu Dhabi in Wake of Gulf Instability

Middle East Crisis: The world seems to have come to a standstill it seems in the wake of the Gulf instability. After the West Indies and Zimbabwean T20 WC squads got stranded in India due to travel obligations, the England Cricket Board have now called off the England Lions’ remaining matches in the UAE. Not just that, they have also ruled out England Women’s T20 World Cup training camp in Abu Dhabi, due to security concerns. This is a precautionary step taken by the ECB.

In the official statement shared by the ECB, the board said, “The remainder of the England Men’s Lions tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible. We have ruled out the possibility of England Women’s T20 World Cup camp taking place in Abu Dhabi, given the instability across the Gulf. Over the weekend, we started work on alternative options that will enable England Women to achieve the same outcomes, and we’ll keep you informed as soon as we finalise a new plan.”

England Lions are not the only cricket team facing problems due to the Middle East crisis. In fact, the T20 WC squads of West Indies and Zimbabwe are still stranded in India due to the situation. While the Windies team is in Kolkata, the Zimbabwe side are in Delhi. 

The senior England team is currently in Mumbai where they will take on India in the T20 WC semi-final at the iconic Wankhede stadium on March 5.