The white-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled in the UAE from March 13 to 25, is likely to be postponed indefinitely in view of the prevailing situation in West Asia.
According to ESPNcricinfo, neither Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) nor Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has issued an official statement regarding the series, but both boards have agreed that the matches cannot be held in the UAE.
While both boards are still weighing options to conduct the series in an alternative venue, the matches are unlikely to be shifted elsewhere due to logistical challenges.
The Afghanistan-Sri Lanka white-ball series was set to kick off on March 13 with three T20Is in Sharjah, followed by three ODIs in Dubai.
The series was set to be Afghanistan’s first assignment under Ibrahim Zadran’s leadership, with the opener taking over the reins from veteran spinner Rashid Khan after a group-stage exit in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
Conflict unsettles travel plans
The travel plans of several teams that were in India and Sri Lanka for the men’s T20 World Cup have been disrupted with several West Asian countries shutting or restricting their airspace.
The West Indies and South Africa teams, despite their exit from the T20 WC, are currently stuck in Kolkata. South Africa lost to New Zealand in the semifinals on March 4, while the West Indies were eliminated after a five-wicket defeat to India in the Super Eights on March 1.
The aforementioned teams are scheduled to fly out on Tuesday.
