Tentative schedule revealed for Pakistan-Afghanistan T20Is

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, Najam Sethi, has confirmed that the Men in Green will face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series in March.

The matches, which will be held in Sharjah, will help compensate Afghanistan for the loss suffered due to Australia’s pullout.

“Pleased to announce PCB will play 3xT20s against Afghanistan in Sharjah end March to compensate Afghanistan following Australia’s pullout from bi lateral series against it.

Earlier, both teams were supposed to play a three-match ODI series this year, instead of T20Is, but, since Pakistan and Afghanistan have already qualified for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, the format was changed after meeting between Sethi and ACB officials.

"I met with the executive members of Afghanistan Cricket Board and they were asking us to play a (ODI) series but we didn't find any attraction playing the series," Sethi said at a press conference last month. "It's mainly because the series was meant for the [Super League] points, and now no matter who wins it won't make a difference. So we agreed to play a series of three T20Is in Sharjah just after the PSL subject to government approval. We will share 50% of the revenue from the series equally. And we will jointly outsource the production."

It must be noted that on January 12, earlier this year, Cricket Australia pulled out of the three-match one-day International (ODI) series in March, citing Taliban moves to further restrict women's rights in Afghanistan.

Due to restrictions placed by the Taliban-led government, Afghanistan is the only full-member country without a functioning women's team. Girls are officially prohibited from attending universities, gymnasiums, middle and high schools, and parks.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) expressed disappointment and said the board will take the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Sethi also supported the Asian Cricket Council’s decision to “grant Afghanistan equal share of ACC revenues like BCCI, PCB, SLC and BCB”. 

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