Sri Lanka have indefinitely postponed their white-ball tour of Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates after rising tensions in West Asia made the six-match series impossible to carry out safely. The tour, scheduled to take place from March 13 to 25, was to include three T20Is and three ODIs across Sharjah and Dubai.
The decision comes as the escalating conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt travel and airspace across the region, further complicating logistics for international teams. With flights affected and safety concerns growing, both cricket boards agreed that the series could not realistically continue as planned.
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“We had to cancel because of the situation on the flight and the ongoing fighting in the region,” a Sri Lanka cricket official told AFP.
The series was scheduled to kick off with three T20 Internationals in Sharjah on 13, 15 and 17 March before moving to Dubai for three One Day Internationals on 20, 22 and 25 March. It was also expected to be a landmark as Afghanistan prepared to host Sri Lanka for the first time in a bilateral series, albeit at a neutral venue.
However, the rapidly escalating situation throughout West Asia forced administrators to reconsider late. Tensions escalated after the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks from Tehran. The fallout hit airspace across the Persian Gulf, with Dubai’s airport briefly shut down over the weekend as drones and missiles were launched in the region.
With flight routes disrupted and uncertainty hanging over travel plans, moving players, support staff and equipment to the UAE has become a major challenge. Reports suggest that both the Afghanistan Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket have reached a mutual understanding that continuing the tour was simply not practical under the circumstances.
Of course, Afghanistan remains one of the few international teams still unable to host matches at home due to security concerns. As a result, they regularly host their home series in places like India or the United Arab Emirates, making this tour another important addition to their international calendar.
The delay also means that several interesting stories will have to wait. Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran was expected to begin his captaincy during the series, which would also be the first assignment for Sri Lanka. newly named head coach Gary Kirsten.
Broader geopolitical tensions have spilled over into the cricketing world in other ways as well. Several teams traveling through the region after the recently concluded T20 World Cup faced delays due to flight disruptions.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
10 March 2026 08:14 IST
