MIDDLE EAST AT WAR | ‘Comes up in every conversation’ but Proteas remain locked in ahead of semifinal

Proteas coach Shukri Conrad claims his team will do their best to remain focused amidst the crisis in the Middle East ahead of their ICC T20 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The Middle East conflict intensified on Monday after Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut. This was in response to the Iran-backed group launching missiles and drones towards Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Sunday morning.

Conrad admitted that the Middle East conflict “comes up in every conversation” but that the Proteas, who are unbeaten heading into the knockout stages, will do their best to remain locked in.

“Look, obviously it comes up in every conversation, so you can’t wish it away because it’s there,” Conrad said after the final Super Eights match against Zimbabwe.

Had a telephone call with PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the current regional situation. Conveyed India’s concerns over recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. India reiterates the need for an early cessation of hostilities.@netanyahu

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 1, 2026

“We’re just going to try and still nail our yorker. Hit the bad ball for six in and amidst all of that so whilst it’s conversations, yeah we’ve managed to just move that aside and obviously our manager, together with 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.”

The conflict has led to the closure of airspace over several countries in the Middle East, including major transit hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, disrupting air travel to the region and also internationally.

The ICC, in a statement on Saturday, said “While the crisis in the Middle East has no direct bearing on the conduct of the tournament, the ICC acknowledges that a significant number of personnel – including players, team management, match officials, broadcast teams, and event staff – rely on Gulf hub airports, particularly Dubai (DXB), as key transit points for onward travel to their home countries upon concluding their commitments at the event.

“The ICC Travel and Logistics team is actively working with major international carriers to identify and secure alternative routing options, including connections through European, South Asian and South-East Asian hubs. The ICC security consultants are liaising with relevant authorities and will provide real-time advisories as the situation develops. A dedicated ICC Travel Support Desk has also been activated.”