The two teams will prepare for next year’s T20I championship in the subcontinent.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that the West Indies will be hosting a T20I three-match series in the United Arab Emirates, between January 19-22, 2020. This is part of the teams’ preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2026.
The three fixtures are scheduled to be played on the 19, 21, and 22, in the UAE. The series will provide both teams with crucial training for the tournaments to be held in India or Sri Lanka.
Both teams secured automatic qualification in the top 20 teams of the showpiece event, which was among the seven best teams from the previous edition.
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Afghanistan reached the semi finals of the 2024 tournament, their first ever top-four finish.
West Indies, who won the five-match T20I Series against New Zealand last month after sweeping Bangladesh in the previous series, are now playing the fifth match of the series. South Africa will be their next opponent after the series they played against Afghanistan in January.
Afghanistan’s next T20I match will be a three-match T20I Series against Qatar beginning on Saturday, Nov. 8.
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ACB CEO Naseeb Khan says the series offers Afghanistan a great opportunity to prepare for the global event that will be hosted in February or March.
Khan said, “Competing in the West Indies before the global event provides an excellent opportunity for us to finalize our lineup and improve their preparations for the forthcoming mega event in India or Sri Lanka.”
Miles Bascombe (Director of Cricket, Cricket West Indies) echoed the same sentiments when he highlighted the importance of this series for sharpening the squad before the marquee event.
Bascombe explained that facing strong opponents in subcontinental conditions would help sharpen our combination and approach. They’d also get a chance to develop confidence on surfaces like those they will encounter in India or Sri Lanka.
Series schedule:
First T20I on January 19, UAE
2nd T20I January 21, UAE
3rd Twenty20 – January 22, UAE
