The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officially announced on Thursday that the men’s cricket team is gearing up for a tour to the United Arab Emirates in late December. The tour will feature two 50-over warm-up matches followed by a three-match T20I series.
The action kicks off with two 50-over warm-up games scheduled for December 25 and 27. The excitement continues with three T20Is on December 29, 31, and January 2 in Sharjah.
This marks Afghanistan’s second visit to the UAE in 2023, with their previous series ending in a 2-1 victory in Abu Dhabi led by Rashid Khan in February. The series follows a mutual cooperation agreement signed last year between the Afghanistan and Emirates Cricket Boards.
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According to the agreement, Afghanistan will engage in a three-match T20I series with the UAE annually. Naseeb Khan, ACB CEO, expressed the significance of the collaboration, stating, “Our collaboration with the UAE Cricket Board has been helpful. The inaugural UAE Series earlier this year offered us an excellent foundation to prepare for following events throughout the year.”
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He added, “This upcoming tour marks the commencement of our new year, expected to provide the AfghanAtalan squad with the necessary impetus for an action-packed 2024 season, featuring plenty of T20 cricket.”
The series will wrap up Afghanistan’s cricket commitments in 2023 and set the stage for an eventful 2024. The team will then play three T20Is in India in January, part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA from June 4-30.
Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board, expressed delight in hosting Afghanistan for the second time this year. He anticipates another competitive series, stating, “Afghanistan performed incredibly well in the ODI World Cup, and they are a team on the rise with a strong support base in the UAE. We look forward to welcoming the Afghanistan team.”
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