New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): Afghanistan are set for a packed multi-format schedule in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), hosting Bangladesh and Zimbabwe across October and November, which will feature a one-off Test against Bangladesh, an ODI Tri-Nation Series involving all three teams, followed by a three-match T20I series and a two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, according to the ICC website.
The action gets underway with Afghanistan taking on Bangladesh in the one-off Test from October 9 to 13. The three sides will then face off in the ODI Tri-Nation Series, scheduled to run from October 17 to 23.
Zimbabwe will begin their campaign against Bangladesh on October 17 before taking on hosts Afghanistan two days later on October 19. Afghanistan and Bangladesh will then face off in the final league-stage match on October 21, with the top two teams advancing to the final on October 23, according to the ICC website.
Following the tri-series, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe will turn their attention to T20Is, with a three-match series scheduled from October 27 to November 1. The tour will then conclude with a two-Test series, with the matches set to be played from November 5-9 and November 13-17.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO, Naseeb Khan, welcomed the schedule, highlighting the importance of facing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe across multiple formats. He said the series will provide Afghanistan’s players with valuable competitive experience while giving fans an exciting run of international cricket.
"We are pleased to confirm this important period of international cricket for the Afghanistan National Team. Playing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe across different formats will provide our players with valuable competitive opportunities and offer our supporters an exciting period of international cricket,” he said.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury also expressed optimism about the upcoming tour, particularly the Test match. He said the series will be exciting for fans and give Bangladesh’s players valuable first-hand experience of red-ball cricket in the UAE while testing themselves against a strong Afghanistan side.
"The Test match and the tri-nation series promise an exciting period of cricket for fans in both Bangladesh and Afghanistan. We attach great importance to Tests, and this will be an excellent opportunity for our players to experience red-ball cricket in the UAE for the first time and challenge themselves against a formidable Afghanistan side that has traditionally performed well in these conditions,” he said.
Zimbabwe Cricket MD Givemore Makoni said the tour will be important for Zimbabwe’s development, providing high-quality competition across all three formats. He particularly highlighted the value of the ODI tri-series and the two Tests, as Zimbabwe look to gain more experience in the longest format.
"This is an important tour for Zimbabwe, offering our players high-quality competition across all three formats. The ODI tri-series will test us against two strong sides, while the two Tests are especially valuable as we continue seeking more regular opportunities in the longest format,” he said.
Schedule of the multi-format UAE tour featuring Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe
One-off Test
9-13 October: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
ODI Tri-Nation Series
17 October: Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe
19 October: Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe
21 October: Afghanistan vs Bangladesh
23 October: Final
Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe T20I Series
27 October: First T20I
29 October: Second T20I
1 November: Third T20I
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe Test Series
5-9 November: First Test
13-17 November: Second Test (ANI)
Afghanistan to host Bangladesh, Zimbabwe in multi-format UAE series
