Image Credit- BCB
Afghanistan will play Ireland and Sri Lanka in
February 2024, adding to their already extensive Test-match experience in
record time.
Afghanistan played just one Test match during the
larger part of the last three years, with the majority of attention going to
the two limited-overs formats. But now that there’s room on the schedule,
they’ve revealed two distinct all-format shows that will air from February 2 to
March 18.
They play their first-ever Test match in Colombo
against Sri Lanka to start the hectic schedule, which also includes three ODIs
and three T20Is. Afghanistan’s one-off Test match against Ireland will take
place in the United Arab Emirates from February 28 to March 3, seven days after
their tour of Sri Lanka comes to a close. As Afghanistan prepares for the
upcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in the West Indies and
the USA in June, this series also features a limited-overs leg.
Afghanistan’s tour of Sri Lanka was always going to
feature a Test match and three T20Is. “The addition of these three
ODIs,” ACB chief Mirwais Ashraf said, “is a significant move to
ensure a complete and comprehensive tour which not only provides good exposure
to Afghanistan Cricket but will also foster stronger relations between the two
nations. Playing Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka is always tricky but is a challenge
that Afghan Atalan can easily embrace.”
Prior to all this, Afghanistan will play their
first-ever bilateral series against India this month and their chief executive
Naseeb Khan was hopeful that all these games would set the team up for the
challenges ahead. “The upcoming tours of India, Sri Lanka, and then the
home series against Ireland will help us to prepare the team for the
much-important T20 World Cup. Eagerly looking for the multiple series
upfront.”
The ACB changed the punishments it had imposed on
Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi for their desire to forgo
their national contracts in addition to announcing the itineraries for these
tours. The board originally decided not to allow any of the three players to
participate in T20 leagues for the following two years, but they have since
changed their minds.