On Friday, November 7, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officially announced that it will host the West Indies national cricket team for a T20I series very soon.
The three-match T20I between the Afghanistan national cricket team and the West Indies national cricket team will be played in January 2026.
UAE to host Afghanistan vs West Indies match
The West Indies national cricket team will travel to the United Arab Emirates for a three-match T20 series which will be played on January 19, 21 and 22.
This series will provide a great opportunity for the Rashid Khan-led side and the Maroons to prepare well for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is expected to begin in February 2026.
Both Afghanistan and West Indies have qualified for this prestigious tournament, where 20 teams will compete for the coveted title between the two countries – India and Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan performed remarkably well in the last T20 World Cup and booked a top-four finish, and they will be looking to repeat their heroics, while two-time champions West Indies will be keen to revive their cricket.
In an official statement, ACB CEO, Mr. Naseeb Khan said that playing against West Indies will provide them an excellent opportunity to finalize their lineup for the T20 World Cup 2026. He said:
“Competing against the West Indies on the brink of a global event provides an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance their preparations for the upcoming mega events in India and Sri Lanka. We are closely monitoring the team’s preparation process, and facing a quality West Indies team provides an ideal platform for them to build on.”
Meanwhile, CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe said that the matches in UAE will help them adapt to Asian conditions. He said:
“This series provides an ideal platform for our preparation. Facing strong opposition in subcontinent conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, and it also gives our players a chance to build confidence on the surfaces we will face in India and Sri Lanka.”
Afghanistan vs West Indies Series Schedule:
First T20 match – 19 January, UAE
Second T20 match – 21 January, UAE
Third T20 match – 22 January, UAE
West Indies is involved in the T20 series against New Zealand
The Men in Maroon are currently involved in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, and after winning the first match by 7 runs, they lost the second game by 3 runs.
Speaking after the defeat, West Indies captain Shai Hope said that they were quite unlucky to end up with the wrong result in the second match. He said:
“That was very close, you know. It was unfortunate we couldn’t get over the boundary this time. Credit has to be given to Chapman for the way he played that innings; he kind of took the game away from us.”
“We didn’t really execute as well with the ball or the bat as we wanted to. There are some little areas where we could be better, especially at the top – including myself. But Powell, Shepherd and Ford showed a great fight to give us a good chance to win that game. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get over the line this time.”
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