New Delhi, March 3 (NationPress) Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has safely returned to her home after being trapped in Dubai for three days due to the suspension of flight operations caused by rising tensions in the Middle East.

Sindhu was en route to Birmingham for the prestigious All England Open, set to commence on Tuesday, with a layover in Dubai. Unfortunately, the two-time Olympic champion found herself stranded at the Dubai airport amid significant flight disruptions resulting from the escalating conflict in the region.

"I’m back home in Bangalore and feeling safe. The last few days have been intense and filled with uncertainty, but I’m genuinely thankful to be back in my own space. A special thanks to the amazing ground teams, Dubai officials, airport personnel, immigration staff, and everyone who provided care during these challenging times. Their understanding and professionalism meant more than words can express. Now, it’s time for me to rest, reset, and plan my next steps," Sindhu shared via her post on X.

Earlier, Sindhu recounted her distressing experience from Dubai on Monday, mentioning that the past few hours were "extremely tense" due to "sounds of interceptions and explosions" occurring close to the area where she and her team were staying at the airport.

While Sindhu had to withdraw from competing in the All England Open, where she was set to face Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the first round, some of her fellow players managed to reach Birmingham without any travel complications.

In a related note, the departure of the West Indies cricket team from India has been postponed following their exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup due to restrictions in international airspace. The team is currently safe and well-accommodated in India. Windies Cricket has stated that it is actively monitoring the situation and will provide updates as travel arrangements are confirmed.

"CWI is closely collaborating with the International Cricket Council (ICC), relevant governmental agencies, and airline partners to secure the earliest possible safe travel arrangements for the players and support staff. The safety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials are our utmost priority," it mentioned in a statement.

Moreover, the return of the Zimbabwe cricket team from India after a successful ICC T20 World Cup campaign has also been delayed due to the air travel disruptions stemming from the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. Zimbabwe Cricket has indicated that they are awaiting the ICC to finalize contingency measures for alternative travel arrangements.