Afghanistan likely to host Pakistan for a limited-overs series this year in the UAE
Afghanistan are likely to host Pakistan for a three-match ODI series and as many T20I matches in the United Arab Emirates. This development has come up after Afghanistan’s star all-rounder Mohammad Nabi met the Pakistan Prime Minister and former World Cup-winning captain, Imran Khan.
It was reported that the cricketer had asked the Prime Minister to arrange a series between Pakistan and Afghanistan during this meeting. Pakistan and Afghanistan, both neighbouring countries, have not yet played any bilateral series in any format so far. They have previously contested in Asia Cup and World Cup, but never in a bilateral series.
It is also reported that Prime Minister Imran Khan, who still has ties with Pakistan Cricket Board, has requested the national board to organise a series with the neighbouring country. Afghanistan plays their home series in India generally. However, they played their last home series against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan and Afghanistan yet to play a bilateral series
Nabi had lunch and a photoshoot with the Pakistan Prime Minister. The meeting went quite well and it could open the doors for Afghanistan to get a series added to their Future Tour Programme (FTP). Talking about the cricket series for Pakistan, the Babar Azam-led team will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in July against England. Pakistan is also scheduled to play New Zealand in September. After that, they will take part in the T20 World Cup in India.
Mohammad Nabi “Meeting Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan was exciting. We had lunch & had a photoshoot with him. We asked him to give Afghanistan a series with Pakistan and he has promised that. We enjoyed that meeting and discussed some cricket things with him” #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) February 25, 2021
It should also be noted that the Asia Cup T20 2021 has also been postponed to 2022 with Pakistan keeping the hosting rights. The last time Pakistan and Afghanistan played against each other was back in 2019, during the ODI World Cup. The match played at Leeds went down to the wire, but Pakistan ended on the winning side.
Pakistan has won all four ODIs between the two teams so far. They played for the first of them in a one-off bilateral event in 2012 in Sharjah. The two sides also met in Sharjah in 2013 for a single T20I and that match too went in Pakistan’s favour. That was the only T20I match between the two teams.
