The upcoming white-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, originally scheduled to be played in the UAE from March 13 to 25, is expected to be postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing military conflict in West Asia.
Although neither the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) nor Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has released an official statement, reports indicate that both boards have agreed the series cannot go ahead in the UAE under the current circumstances. Discussions about possible alternatives are ongoing, but relocating the bilateral series to another venue appears unlikely because of logistical complications.
Series Schedule and Venues
The series was set to include six white-ball matches, beginning with three T20 Internationals followed by three One-Day Internationals.
The planned schedule was:
T20Is – Sharjah
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- March 13
- March 15
- March 17
ODIs – Dubai
- March 20
- March 22
- March 25
If played, the series would have marked Afghanistan’s first assignment under the leadership of Ibrahim Zadran, who recently replaced Rashid Khan as captain following Afghanistan’s group-stage exit at the World Cup.
Conflict Disrupts Cricket Schedule
The situation in West Asia has already caused disruptions across international cricket.
Last week, six matches in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal involving Oman, UAE and the hosts were postponed due to the conflict.
Travel plans for several teams participating in the men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka have also been affected as airspace closures and restrictions continue across parts of West Asia.
Despite their elimination from the tournament, the West Indies and South Africa squads remained stranded in Kolkata for several days before receiving confirmation that their departure flights would operate on Tuesday.
With uncertainty continuing in the region, the Afghanistan–Sri Lanka series is likely to remain postponed until the situation stabilises.
