Indian football team stranded ahead of International friendly

Ahead of their first-ever football International friendly against Jordan, seven players and support staff of the Indian national football team have been left stranded at the Kuwait International Airport for over 32 hours due to heavy thunderstorm and rains.

The Indian football team. Photograph: AIFF Media

"Amidst torrential downpour along with lightning and thunder which has inundated Kuwait City with heavy flooding, forced postponements and cancellation of several flights, seven players -- Jeje Lalpekhlua, Balwant Singh, Manvir Singh, Sumeet Passi, Udanta Singh, Halicharan Narzary, Ashique Kuruniyan -- along with some members of the support staff were left stranded for over 32 hours at the Kuwait International Airport en route to Amman," a statement by All India Football Federation (AIFF) read.

To add to all the dismay and frustration, the luggage including players’ kits, team equipment and personal belongings of all the players and support staff also went missing when they landed.

However, the match between the two countries will kick-off as scheduled on Saturday at 10:30 pm IST.