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Afghanistan will host Sri Lanka in a white-ball series in the United Arab Emirates next month, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Monday. The tour will feature three T20Is and three ODIs.
Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka white-ball tour schedule
This will be only the second bilateral T20I series between the two teams. Their first T20I series took place in February 2024. In the 50-over format, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have already met in bilateral contests in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
All three T20 matches will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on March 13, 15 and 17. The ODI series will then move to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with matches scheduled for March 20, 22 and 25.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan for hosting Sri Lanka
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said the board is pleased to host Sri Lanka for the first time in a bilateral series. He added that the tour shows the growing cooperation between the two cricket boards and expressed hope that the relationship will continue to strengthen in the future.
“We are delighted to host Sri Lanka for the first time in our history. This event reflects the strength of our collaboration with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, and we are committed to further strengthening our relationship to provide a high-quality cricket experience in the future. Sri Lanka has been playing excellent cricket recently, and we look forward to what promises to be a competitive white-ball series between two quality sides," Naseeb Khan, CEO of ACB, said.
Why is the Sri Lanka series important for Afghanistan?
He also explained that the series is important for Afghanistan as they look to improve as a team and prepare for upcoming ICC and ACC tournaments. According to him, the focus is on building the squad and working on areas that need improvement ahead of a busy international calendar over the next two years.
“Additionally, the series is fundamental to our mission as we begin to further build our team and enhance key areas that need improvement. Our primary goal is to prepare the team for the major ICC and ACC events and the numerous bilateral commitments scheduled over the next two years," he further added.
The series comes at a packed time in the cricket schedule. The Men’s T20 World Cup ends on March 8, just five days before the first T20I in Sharjah. Afghanistan were knocked out early from the tournament, while Sri Lanka have progressed to the Super Eights stage.
Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva for the Afghanistan series
Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said bilateral series play a key role in international cricket. He described the tour as historic, as it will be the first time Sri Lanka are part of a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan. He added that the matches will help his team prepare for future international assignments.
“Bilateral cricket is an important element in international cricket, and we are extremely happy to be a part of this historic tour, as this is the first time Sri Lanka is engaging in a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan. I am confident this tour will help us plan and prepare for our future international assignments," said Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley De Silva.
Will Afghanistan players feature in IPL?
The ODI series will finish just one day before the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which is scheduled to start from March 26. Several players from both sides are expected to join their franchise teams soon after. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad have IPL and PSL commitments, while Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Perera are also set to feature in franchise competitions.
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