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Afghanistan Cricket Board announces the schedule of the historic white ball series against Sri Lanka

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Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) The schedule of the historic white-ball series against Sri Lanka has been officially announced, marking the first time that Afghanistan will host the island nation for a bilateral tour. The six-match series, which includes three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals, will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 13 to 25.

Full schedule: T20I in Sharjah, ODI in Dubai

The series will begin with the T20I leg at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, where all three matches will be played on March 13, 15 and 17. Following the conclusion of the T20 fixtures, the action will shift to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the ODI series to be held on March 20, 22 and 25.

‘Delighted to host Sri Lanka for the first time’: ACB CEO

Afghanistan Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Naseeb Khan expressed his excitement about the historic tour, emphasizing the strengthening relations between the two cricket boards.

“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 deliver a high-quality cricket experience in the future.” Khan said in an official release.

He said that Sri Lanka has been playing excellent cricket recently and it is promising a competitive series between two quality teams. Khan also highlighted the strategic importance of the visit for the development of Afghanistan. “Additionally, the series is fundamental to our mission as we begin to further build our team and hone in on key areas that need improvement. Our primary goal is to prepare the team for major ICC and ACC events and the many bilateral commitments scheduled over the next two years.” He said.

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO welcomes historic assignment

Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ashley de Silva echoed these sentiments, underscoring the importance of bilateral cricket in the international calendar.

“Bilateral cricket is an important element in international cricket, and we are extremely pleased to be a part of this historic tour, as this is the first time that Sri Lanka is participating in a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan.” De Silva said.

He expressed confidence that the visit will help Sri Lanka plan and prepare for future international appointments.

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AFG vs SL: Last match between the two teams

The last bilateral meeting between the two sides took place in early 2024, when Afghanistan visited Sri Lanka. On that occasion, Sri Lanka dominated, securing a 3–0 clean sweep of the ODI series and winning the T20I series 2–1.

Notably, the T20I series will begin just five days after the T20 World Cup 2026 final, while the ODI phase will end just a day before both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) begin on March 26, making player workload management a key consideration for both boards.

Afghanistan campaign t20 world cup 2026 They ended in disappointment as they failed to qualify for the Super 8 stage, finishing third in Group D with two wins and two losses. The upcoming white-ball series will also be Afghanistan’s first appointment without former head coach Jonathan Trott, who left after the group stage fixtures.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka advanced to the Super 8 stage after finishing second in Group B with three wins and one loss, although they suffered a heavy defeat against England in the opening match of the Super 8.

See also: Emotional Jonathan Trott crying after final game as Afghanistan coach

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