The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has officially announced the schedule for a historic white-ball series against Sri Lanka, marking the first time Afghanistan will host the island nation for a bilateral tour. The six-match series, comprising three T20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals, will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 13 to 25.
Complete Schedule: T20Is in Sharjah, ODIs in Dubai
The series will commence 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, scheduled for March 20, 22, and 25.
🚨 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒! 🚨
We are hosting @OfficialSLC for the first time in our history! 👏👏
🏏: 3 ODIs and 3 T20Is
📅: March 13 – 25, 2026
🏟️: Sharjah, Dubai
🔗: https://t.co/ZH5lxmQ482#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvSL | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/B9Lvn1YM4q— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) February 23, 2026
‘Delighted to host Sri Lanka for the first time’: ACB CEO
Naseeb Khan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, expressed his enthusiasm about the historic tour, emphasizing the strengthening relationship between the two cricketing 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 provide a high-quality cricket experience in the future,” Khan said in an official release.
He added that Sri Lanka has been playing excellent cricket recently, promising a competitive series between two quality sides. Khan also highlighted the strategic importance of the tour for Afghanistan’s development. “Additionally, the series is fundamental to our mission as we begin to further build our team and enhance key areas that need improvement. Our primary goal is to prepare the team for the major ICC and ACC events and the numerous bilateral commitments scheduled over the next two years,” he stated .
Sri Lanka Cricket CEO welcomes historic assignment
Ashley De Silva, Chief Executive of Sri Lanka Cricket, echoed these sentiments, underlining the significance of bilateral cricket in the international calendar.
“Bilateral cricket is an important element in international cricket, and we are extremely happy to be a part of this historic tour, as this is the first time Sri Lanka is engaging in a bilateral series hosted by Afghanistan,” De Silva said.
He expressed confidence that the tour would help Sri Lanka plan and prepare for future international assignments.
AFG vs SL: Previous encounters between the two teams
The last bilateral meeting between the two sides occurred in early 2024, when Afghanistan toured Sri Lanka. On that occasion, Sri Lanka dominated, securing a 3-0 clean sweep in 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 leg concludes only a day before both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) commence on March 26, making player workload management a key consideration for both boards.
Afghanistan’s campaign at the T20 World Cup 2026 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 while-ball series will also be Afghanistan’s first assignment without former head coach Jonathan Trott, who departed after the Group stage fixtures.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, progressed to the Super 8 stage after finishing second in Group B with three wins and one loss, though they suffered a heavy defeat against England in their Super 8 opener.
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