The United Arab Emirates will host a Twenty20 tri-series involving Afghanistan and Pakistan later this month in Sharjah. The tournament starts on August 29. It is slated to host seven matches, all to be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. This tri-series is tremendously important for both teams’ preparations ahead of their T20 World Cup in early 2024. Tomorrow, India and Sri Lanka will jointly host this wonderfully wild tournament.
Given the unique tri-series format, each team plays each other twice. This arrangement results in a grand total of six matches played, at the end of which the top two teams advance to the grand final. Afghanistan and Pakistan are already assured of direct entry to the World Cup. This series is important because they calibrate their plans and make their player choices.
When the tri-series concludes, attention will quickly pivot to the Asia Cup. This inspiring tournament, which begins in the UAE on September 9, As one of the favorites to win the Asia Cup, Afghanistan will start their campaign against Hong Kong in their first match. This tournament is going to be one of the most crucial for Afghanistan. Having recently finished a disappointing seventh in the last T20 World Cup, plenty to prove for them.
Indeed, the last time Afghanistan played a T20 game was during a bilateral series against Zimbabwe late last year. Pakistan is currently engaged in a T20 series against the West Indies in the United States, providing them with recent competitive experience ahead of the tri-series.
As Afghanistan and Pakistan gear up for their first encounters, it’s worth considering the excitement that could be in store for the UAE’s chances. This is the UAE’s first real opportunity to qualify for any T20 World Cup! First, they’ll have to get past the ICC’s Asia-East Asia and Pacific qualifiers, scheduled for this October in Oman.
