Afghanistan Cricket Board discusses youth tri-series between Pakistan, Afghanistan and UAE

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has proposed a youth tri-series involving Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This initiative was discussed during the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual board meeting, held this week in Colombo.

ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf and CEO Naseeb Khan participated in the meeting, engaging in talks with representatives from Cricket South Africa, Cricket New Zealand, and Cricket West Indies.

The discussions focused on potential white-ball series opportunities leading up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

“Afghanistan Cricket Board’s Chairman, Mr Mirwais Ashraf, and CEO, Mr Naseeb Khan, attended the ICC Board Meeting which was held this week in Sri Lanka and was attended by representatives from other member countries,” the ACB stated in a press release.

“During the meeting, ACB's leadership presented recent achievements, activities, and future plans for the Afghanistan Cricket Board. They also held discussions with representatives from Cricket South Africa, Cricket New Zealand, and Cricket West Indies about potential white-ball bilateral cricket ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025."

The proposed Youth Tri-Series, featuring Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the UAE, would be a significant addition to the cricketing calendar, with dates and venues yet to be finalised.

The ACB is also considering A-team tours to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

“The discussions also included A team tours to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and the possibility of a Youth Tri-Series against Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, with the dates and venues to be confirmed," the press release continued.

The ICC leadership and attending representatives commended the ACB and the Afghanistan team for their impressive performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

“The ICC leadership and meeting participants praised ACB and AfghanAtalan’s recent accomplishments in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and highlighted the team's remarkable performances and their significant contribution to entertaining fans around the world and the development of cricket in Afghanistan," the press release added.

Afghanistan’s cricket team, led by Rashid Khan, gained global attention with their notable run in the tournament.

They defeated top teams like Australia and New Zealand, reaching the semi-finals of an ICC event for the first time.

Despite their semi-final loss to South Africa, Afghanistan's aggressive gameplay throughout the tournament earned widespread praise and underscored their growing prominence on the international cricket stage.