Afghanistan cricket team. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Kabul, July 31, 2024 – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirms that it will host South Africa for a series of three One Day International (ODI) matches from September 18 – 22 in the United Arab Emirates. This three-match ODI series will be the first-ever bilateral cricket series between the two countries hosted by Afghanistan.
The first ODI will be played on September 18, with the second and third ODIs scheduled for September 20 and 22 respectively at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in UAE.
The South African National Team is set to arrive in the UAE on September 14. Meanwhile, the Afghanistan National Team will depart from Delhi for the UAE on the same day, following their one-off Test against New Zealand which is scheduled from September 9 – 13 in Greater Noida, India.
ACB Chairman Mr. Mirwais Ashraf expressed his delight at the announcement of the series: “The recent ICC meeting was quite productive for us. Apart from confirming dates for the one-off Test match against New Zealand, we reached an agreement with Cricket South Africa for a series of three ODIs in September.”
These fixtures were not initially part of our FTP. Still, based on our productive negotiations with our counterparts at Cricket South Africa, we concluded that we will host the Proteas for an ODI series in September. They are an excellent team, and we are eagerly looking forward to hosting them and playing them regularly in the future.” He added.
ACB CEO Mr. Naseeb Khan: “We have consistently played higher-ranked teams over the past two or three years, which has significantly improved the quality of our game. Competing against top-tier teams allows our players to identify areas for improvement and boosts their confidence. Playing big teams regularly is a crucial part of our growth process, and we aim to provide more opportunities for our team to compete in bilateral cricket against these top teams.”
“Our team has performed well in ICC events over the last two years, and we are focused on making our team equally competitive in bilateral cricket.” He added.
Also Read: Afghanistan and New Zealand set to play one-off Test in September in Greater Noida
CSA Chairman Lawson Naidoo commented: “We are excited to embark on this historic ODI series with Afghanistan, who have become a very competitive all-round team as evidenced by their recent performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and most recently at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This is a significant milestone in our cricketing relations, and we look forward to a competitive and entertaining series”
Both teams have only met twice in ODIs, with both games coming in during the ICC Cricket World Cup events in 2019 and 2023.
Afghanistan has never played Cricket South Africa in bilateral cricket before, and this event will be a significant milestone for Afghanistan Cricket. The ACB is also currently in talks with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to reschedule its all-format home series, with dates to be shared upon reaching an agreement.
Series Schedule:
| Date | Format | Venue |
| Wed, Sep 18 | 1st ODI | Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
| Fri, Sep 20 | 2nd ODI | Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
| Sun, Sep 22 | 3rd ODI | Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
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