Former England batter Jonny Bairstow has revealed he remains stranded in Dubai with his young family, caught amid the escalating Middle East conflict and subsequent flight cancellations.
The cricketer, who has represented England 287 times across all formats, highlighted his predicament over the weekend.
He posted to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday regarding the regional unrest, asking: “Can you get us home?”, before appealing to airline Emirates on Sunday about a cancelled flight and the subsequent lack of dialogue.
Bairstow, who welcomed his first child, Edward, with his partner in 2023, has since clarified he is in Dubai, but not with the England Lions squad, which had been on tour in Abu Dhabi.
On X, he wrote on Monday: "For those writing that I’m with the England Lions team, I am not. I am with my young family in Dubai. Sure the England Lions security staff will be doing all they can to get them out of Abu Dhabi, but I am trying to keep my family safe and get us out of here!!"
His situation mirrors that of over 100,000 other Britons registered in the Middle East who may require evacuation. Airspace closures, implemented since attacks began on Saturday, have grounded numerous commercial flights.
The wider cricketing world has also felt the impact; an England Lions tour match in Abu Dhabi was cancelled on Sunday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the England Women’s proposed trip to Abu Dhabi this week is delayed, though England’s T20 World Cup plans remain on track ahead of Thursday’s semi-final against India in Mumbai.
Should England come through that match, they are scheduled to play the final in Ahmedabad against either South Africa or New Zealand on Sunday.
That match is also currently due to go ahead as planned.
