In an eagerly anticipated cricket showdown, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to host Afghanistan in a thrilling three-match T20 International (T20I) series, commencing this Friday, December 29. Cricket enthusiasts are gearing up for an exciting clash between the two formidable teams, and anticipation is high for the series that promises to be a cricketing spectacle.
This marks the second bilateral series between the UAE and Afghanistan in the Emirates this year, with their previous encounter taking place in February. During that series, Afghanistan emerged victorious, securing a 2-1 win over the hosts. The upcoming series provides the UAE with an opportunity to turn the tables and redeem themselves on their home turf.
Muhammad Waseem, a seasoned campaigner, will be leading the UAE side, bringing his wealth of experience to the captaincy role. On the opposing side, Ibrahim Zadran has the honour of captaining the touring Afghan team. Both skippers will be looking to inspire their squads to deliver top-notch performances and secure bragging rights in this T20I series.
Afghanistan tour of UAE 2023-24, T20I series, Fixtures, Venues and Timings:
- December 29, 2023: First T20I, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 7:30 pm IST/ 2 pm GMT/ 6 pm local
- December 31, 2023: Second T20I, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 7:30 pm IST/ 2 pm GMT/ 6 pm local
- January 2, 2024: Third T20I, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 7:30 pm IST/ 2 pm GMT/ 6 pm local
Also READ: UAE vs AFG, 1st T20I – Sharjah Cricket Stadium Pitch Report, Sharjah Weather Forecast, T20I Stats & Records | United Arab Emirates vs Afghanistan 2023-24
Squads:
UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Ali Naseer, Aayan Afzal Khan, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Khalid Shah, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Junaid Siddique, Nilansh Keswani, Omid Rahman, Raja Akifullah, Samal Udawaththa, Tanish Suri and Vriitya Aravind.
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Mohammad Ishaq (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Darwish Rasooli, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmaullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem and Qais Ahmad.
Reserves: Rashid Khan, Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai, Ikram Alikhil and Gulbadin Naib