Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Series In UAE Likely Cancelled Amid Middle East Conflict

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The white ball series between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to be held in the UAE from March 13 to 25, is likely to have been called off because of the tensions in the Middle East.

"We had to cancel because of the flight situation... and the ongoing fighting in the region," a Sri Lanka Cricket official said, quoted the AFP. Both teams were scheduled to play three T20Is in Sharjah on March 13, 15, and 17. Subsequently, both teams were scheduled to play three one-day internationals in Dubai on March 20, 22, and 25.

It would have been the first time that the Afghanistan had hosted Sri Lanka for a bilateral series. The series would have been the first series under Afghanistan's new T20I captain Ibrahim Zadran. The opener took over the reins from Rashid Khan after the side's group-stage exit in the World Cup.

Cricketing Schedule Hampered Due To Middle East Conflict

Last week, six matches of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 scheduled in Nepal, featuring Oman national cricket team, United Arab Emirates national cricket team and the hosts, were postponed due to the ongoing conflict in the region.

The situation has also disrupted travel arrangements for several teams that had been in India and Sri Lanka for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, as airspace restrictions and closures across parts of West Asia affected flight operations.

Meanwhile, despite their elimination from the tournament last week, the squads of the West Indies cricket team and the South Africa national cricket team remained stranded in Kolkata. They only received confirmation on Sunday that their departure is scheduled for Tuesday.