England Lions match in Abu Dhabi cancelled amid Middle East crisis

Saturday, 28 February 2026 20:04

A match between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens, scheduled ‌for Sunday in Abu Dhabi, has been cancelled after the United States and ‌Israel launched strikes on Iran, the England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed.

The ECB have said they are "following official advice" as they remain in contact with Government and security experts.

Explosions were heard across the Gulf as Iran launched missile attacks throughout the Middle East - Abu Dhabi and Dubai were targeted which led to Dubai International Airport suspending all flights.

England fight back to beat New Zealand in thriller
Scorecard: England vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup
Rehan Ahmed 'adds value' on dream T20 World Cup debut
Men's T20 World Cup 2026: Full fixtures and results
Stream T20 World Cup without a contract on NOW

"The safety and security of our teams and staff is our top priority," the ECB said in a statement.

"Tomorrow's second 50-over game between England Men's Lions and Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi will no longer go ahead, ‌and we are delaying the departure of England Women for their proposed trip to Abu Dhabi next ‌week.

"We will continue to monitor and assess the situation and official advice in relation to the future of these trips."

The England men's team, currently playing in the Twenty20 World Cup, will travel from Sri Lanka to Mumbai, located about 2,000 kilometres across the sea from Abu Dhabi, for Thursday's semi-final as planned.

Cricket's governing body (ICC), headquartered in Dubai, earlier said that they had activated contingency plans for their personnel, who were scheduled to transit through Dubai for onward travel to their home countries.

"We would also urge fans who have travelled to monitor closely and adhere to advisories being issued and consider all factors before undertaking any further international travel," an ICC spokesperson said in a statement.