A host of England cricketers are stuck in Abu Dhabi amid the ongoing conflict with Jonny Bairstow calling on the Prime Minister and the Embassy to help get them home
England cricketer Jonny Bairstow has called for help from Sir Keir Starmer after finding himself stuck in Dubai amid the ongoing situation in the Middle East. The World Cup winner was in the United Arab Emirates with England‘s development team, led by Andrew Flintoff, for matches against the Pakistan Shaheens.
The Lions were due to play Pakistan on Sunday, but the contest was postponed as the conflict in the region escalates. US and Israeli military action against Iran continues to ramp up and tourists in Dubai have found themselves trapped as airports close as a result of the conflict.
Dubai has been on the receiving end of retaliatory strikes launched by Iran, with smoke seen coming from Dubai International Airport. The cricket team cannot return home as the city continues.
Bairstow said social media: “If anyone has any intel in Dubai please reach out. Keep safe.” He then repeated the message and tagged the Prime Minister and the British embassy in the UAE. He also tweeted Starmer asking: “Can you get us home?”
The ECB have said they are following “official advice” as they released a statement which read: “The safety and security of our teams and staff is our top priority.
READ MORE: Iran US strikes: Every sport impacted by terrifying scenes as Dubai and others hit by explosionsREAD MORE: Liverpool legend Graeme Souness trapped in Abu Dhabi after strikes from Iran
“We are in contact with security experts and the government in relation to current events in the Middle East, and are following official advice. We will continue to monitor and assess the situation and official advice in relation to the future of these trips.” They have postponed an England women’s trip to Abu Dhabi that was scheduled for next week.
The conflict is affecting other leading names within the sporting world. Liverpool legend and former Premier League manager Graeme Souness took to social media to share that he too was stranded. He shared a video and said: “That is my plane that I am meant to be catching to go back to the UK.”
The military action could have knock on affect for this summer’s World Cup in North America. The airstrikes have killed the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
As a result Mehdi Taj, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, cast doubt over their participation in the summer tournament. Speaking on Iranian TV network ‘Tehran’ he said: “With what happened today and with that attack by the United States, it is unlikely that we can look forward to the cup.”
