Afghanistan and Bangladesh are expected to face off in a three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in October later in the year. While the exact dates are yet to be finalised, the series is likely to be played after the Asia Cup in September and before Bangladesh’s scheduled home series against West Indies later in the month.
It will be the concluding chapter of a bilateral arrangement that was initially planned for July 2024, which was supposed to include two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Later, the white-ball series was confirmed, but due to Bangladesh’s scheduling challenges and poor weather over Greater Noida, where the series was originally planned, it was postponed to a later date. Only the three-match ODI leg went ahead in November 2024, with Afghanistan emerging victorious 2-1.
ACB, BCB in discussion to reschedule Test series
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are reportedly in continued discussions to reschedule the two-Test series for sometime in 2026. In the meantime, this potential T20I series in the UAE is seen as a valuable opportunity for both sides to fine-tune their squads ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
For Bangladesh, the T20Is will serve as a vital component of their preparation as they look to solidify combinations and assess fringe players before the World Cup. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will use the series to maintain momentum between the Asia Cup and a packed schedule that includes a tour of Zimbabwe and additional T20I series against West Indies and New Zealand.
The matches will also mark the first T20I encounter between the two sides since their dramatic meeting at the 2024 T20 World Cup in Kingstown, where Afghanistan's memorable victory propelled them into their first-ever semi-final appearance in a global ICC event.