AFG vs SL: Sri Lanka Call Off Afghanistan T20I and ODI Series in UAE Due to Middle East Conflict

Sri Lanka national cricket team has indefinitely postponed its upcoming white-ball series against the Afghanistan national cricket team in the United Arab Emirates due to flight disruptions and escalating tensions in the Middle East, an official said Monday, March 8, 2026. “We had to cancel because of the flight situation and the ongoing fighting in the region,” a Sri Lanka Cricket official told AFP.

The tour was set to begin with three T20I in Sharjah on March 13, 15 and 17, followed by three One-Day Internationals in Dubai on March 20, 22 and 25. The tour was expected to mark Afghanistan’s first series under new T20I captain Ibrahim Zadran, who recently took over leadership from veteran spinner Rashid Khan following the team’s group-stage exit at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The ongoing conflict in West Asia has disrupted air travel across the region, affecting several cricket teams participating in the T20 World Cup in India. The West Indies and South Africa teams have remained in Kolkata after their elimination from the tournament due to airspace closures and travel restrictions. South Africa lost to New Zealand in the semifinals on March 4, while the West Indies were knocked out following a five-wicket defeat to India in the Super Eights on March 1. Both teams have now received confirmation of their travel arrangements and are expected to depart on Tuesday.

Afghanistan T20I squad

Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Shahidullah Kamal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Reserves: Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami, Ijaz Ahmadzai.

Afghanistan ODI squad

Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Rahmat Shah (vice-captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Bilal Sami.

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