The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that Zimbabwe will take Afghanistan’s spot in the next T20I tri-nation series. This comes after Afghanistan’s abrupt and unfortunate withdrawal. The event will go on as planned in Rawalpindi and Lahore from November 17 to 29. Sri Lanka is also taking part.
The PCB, which was aggressively looking for ways to keep the competition on track, said that Zimbabwe Cricket has agreed to take part. A PTI article says that the PCB talked to associate nations like Nepal and the UAE, but in the end, they wanted a test-playing nation for the series.
The Complete Schedule for the Tri-Series
On November 17, the tri-series will start with the hosts, Pakistan, against Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The venue will also host the second game on November 19, which will be between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
After that, the action will transfer to Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where the last five matches, including the final on November 29, will be contested.
Afghanistan Pulls Out Because of “Cowardly Attack”
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has already said it wouldn’t send its national side to Pakistan since three Afghan players had died in a terrible accident.
The ACB made a forceful statement saying that players Kabeer, Sibghatullah, and Haroon were “tragically martyred” along with five others in a “cowardly attack carried out by the Pakistani regime.” The cricketers were attacked when they came back from a friendly match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika Province. In the event, seven other persons were hurt.
The ACB’s announcement came out after allegations that Pakistan had bombed the Argun and Barmal areas of Paktika province. This action is said to have ended the ceasefire between the two countries.
The cricket boards of Afghanistan and Pakistan have not gotten along well for a long time. Afghanistan has never played a bilateral series against Pakistan since becoming a Test nation; however, their A teams and individual players have toured Pakistan and competed in its local leagues in the past.