The white-ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from March 13 to 25, is likely to be postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing instability in West Asia.
Although neither the ACB nor the SLC has issued an official statement, both boards have agreed that the series cannot be held in the UAE keeping in mind the ongoing crisis.
While the two boards are still discussing alternatives, the bilateral series is unlikely to be shifted due to logistical challenges.
The six-match white-ball series was scheduled to begin on March 13 with three T20Is.
The T20I leg in Sharjah – scheduled on March 13, 15 and 17 – while the three ODIs are scheduled in Dubai on March 20, 22 and 25.
The series is set to be Afghanistan’s first under Ibrahim Sadran, who took over from opener Rashid Khan after their group-stage exit at the World Cup.
Last week, six matches of the ICC Men’s World Cup League 2 scheduled to be played in Oman, UAE and Nepal were postponed due to the conflict.
The travel plans of several teams in India and Sri Lanka for the Men’s T20 World Cup have also been disrupted due to the closure or restriction of airspace in West Asia.
Despite being knocked out last week, the players from West Indies and South Africa are stuck in Kolkata and it was only clarified on Sunday that they will fly on Tuesday.
Historically, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other nine times in T20Is, with Sri Lanka winning six and Afghanistan three.
In ODIs, the two teams have met in 15 matches, with Sri Lanka winning 10, Afghanistan winning 4 and one match ending in a draw.