Islamabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday that Zimbabwe will take Afghanistan’s spot in the three-nation T20I event that will take place in Pakistan from November 17 to 29.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan declared that it would not take part in the series since three Afghan cricketers were reportedly murdered in Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika area.
The tri-series, which also includes Sri Lanka, will start in Rawalpindi and then continue to Lahore. It will help all the sides get ready for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
PCB Says Zimbabwe Is In
The PCB announced in a statement on Saturday:
“Afghanistan said they couldn’t take part in the tournament.”
The board also confirmed that Zimbabwe would be taking part, saying:
“Zimbabwe Cricket has agreed to play in a T20I tri-series with Sri Lanka, which will take place in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17 to 29.”
This will be the first tri-series to take place in Pakistan, and it will provide the three teams a chance to practice for the big event next year.
Schedule for the tournament
The tri-series will start on November 17 with Pakistan playing Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second match, which will take place on November 19, will also be at Rawalpindi and will be between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
The last five matches, including the final on November 29, will take place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Afghanistan Leaves After a Sad Event
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said earlier that the team would not play in the series since three players died in a terrible accident.
The ACB reported in a tweet on X (previously Twitter) that air strikes by Pakistan in Paktika region killed a number of persons, including players.
The board said in a statement, “The ACB sees this as a huge loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family.”
The ACB called the event “tragic” and added:
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has chosen not to take part in the next Tri-Nation T20I Series “as a sign of respect for the victims.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) both spoke out against the deaths of the Afghan cricketers who wanted to play.
Background and Importance
The tri-series is important for Pakistan since it is the first time in a long time that the country has hosted a T20I series with more than one side. It also helps Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe get ready for the T20 World Cup by letting them try out different combinations and methods.
The PCB said it was sorry that Afghanistan had to drop out, but it said the event would go on as planned to “honor the spirit of the game and international cricket cooperation.”