Afghan announce schedule for home series against Pak

Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) have announced the schedule for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan that will be played later this month in Sharjah. The series will begin from March 25, with the third and final T20I played on March 29. Afghanistan have played Pakistan several times in Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and International Cricket Council (ICC) events in recent years, but this will be the first time the two countries meet in a three-match T20I series. The series will commence on March 25 in Sharjah, with the second and third games between the two teams taking place on March 27 and 29, respectively, all at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Sharjah Cricket Stadium will host all three T20 Internationals. The two teams had previously played just one ODI and one T20I in Sharjah, both of which Pakistan won. Outside of this, the two neighbouring countries have only met in multi-team events. ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf hoped for extending Afghanistan’s ties with Pakistan. “We appreciate Pakistan Cricket Board’s willingness to play Afghanistan in March. This is a significant accomplishment for two neighbouring countries,” Mirwais Ashraf said in an official statement released by ACB. “We are hopeful and looking forward to extending our ties with PCB, as well as continuing great partnerships and frequent cricketing assignments with them, which will help us further strengthen our team and our cricket altogether. Overall, we are excited to host and play Pakistan in what will be a thrilling series of cricket games between the two countries,” Mirwais Ashraf said. “I am delighted that inaugural Pakistan versus Afghanistan T20I series will be played later this month in a city that has a large ex-pat community and which has always supported cricketers from both countries,” Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Najam Sethi said. “The PCB and ACB enjoy a strong and cordial relationship that goes back to the 1990s. Even today, Afghanistan players are hugely popular in th