Afghanistan to host Sri Lanka in historic white-ball series
What's the story
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has confirmed a historic white-ball series against Sri Lanka in the UAE. The tournament will kick off with three T20Is on March 13, followed by three ODIs starting March 20. The T20Is will be played in Sharjah and the ODIs in Dubai. This is the first time Sri Lanka will play a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan.
Enthusiasm
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan's statement
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan expressed his excitement over hosting Sri Lanka for the first time. He said, "We are delighted to host Sri Lanka for the first time in our history." Khan also emphasized on strengthening their relationship with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board to provide a high-quality cricket experience in the future. He added, "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."
Response
Sri Lanka CEO Ashley de Silva's take
Ashley De Silva, the CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket, also expressed his views on this historic tour. He said, "Bilateral cricket is an important element in international cricket, and we are extremely happy to be a part of this historic tour." De Silva further emphasized that this is indeed the first time Sri Lanka is engaging in a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan.
Post-WC matches
First series for both teams after T20 WC
The upcoming series will be the first for both teams after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Afghanistan were knocked out in the group stage, while co-hosts Sri Lanka will ply their trade in the Super 8. Notably, Sri Lanka have a 6-3 win-loss record over Afghanistan in T20Is and 10-4 in ODIs.