Afghanistan look to host Pakistan for white-ball series in UAE - Reports
The Afghanistan Cricket Board is keen on hosting Pakistan for a white-ball series in the United Arab Emirates. Afghanistan are looking to schedule the series in August, weeks before the T20 World Cup.
Although Afghanistan and Pakistan have met numerous times in the past few years at ICC and Asian Cricket Council events, the two nations are yet to square off in a bilateral series.
A source from the Pakistan Cricket Board, speaking to PTI, confirmed that a series between the two nations is in the works.
"The Afghanistan board is keen to have the series before the World T20 Cup which is in October,” the source claimed.
Pakistan have a packed international calendar over the next few months, with the team traveling all over the world in the build-up to the T20 World Cup. They will play a three-match ODI series in July against England, followed by a three-match T20I series against the same opposition.
Pakistan will then fly out to the Caribbean for a month-long tour, where they face West Indies. The five-match T20I series will be followed up by a two-match Test series.
Pakistan will then host England for a two-match T20 series in October, with the visitors traveling to Pakistan for the first time in 16 years.
The current schedule means Pakistan have a small window open between the West Indies and England assignments, and it is this gap which Afghanistan wants to fill.
The publication reported that Afghanistan are in talks to schedule three ODIs and three T20Is with Pakistan. The limited-overs matches will take place in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan series scheduled keeping in mind IPL 2021
The probable series will see Pakistan fly out to the UAE after their West Indies tour comes to an end. The source speaking to the publication admitted the series has been decided keeping in mind that the rescheduled portion of IPL 2021 may take place in September in the UAE.
“The plan is for the Pakistan team to stop over in UAE and play the series in August as the Indian cricket board is also likely to host the remaining matches of its unfinished Indian Premier League in the UAE sometime in September-October. and a number of Afghan players including their captain, Rashid Khan, Nabi, Mujeeb ur Rehman and a few others take part in the IPL for different teams,” the source concluded.
While Pakistan’s calendar is packed, Afghanistan have no new assignments on the horizon. They are set to play a one-off Test in Australia later this year, but Afghanistan will do well to get some limited-overs action under their belt ahead of the T20 World Cup.