Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka Cricket Series Postponed Due to Conflict

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-03-13

Well, here's some disappointing news for cricket fans. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) just confirmed that the six-match white-ball series against Sri Lanka won't be happening as planned. It was all set to kick off in the United Arab Emirates on March 13, 2026, but now it's been pushed back to late 2026. You see, the escalation of the Iran war has really thrown a wrench into things. It's had a direct impact on air travel and ground logistics across the entire Gulf region. Both cricket boards had everything ready to go - preparations were finalized, sanctions from the Emirates Cricket Board were in place. Then early March hit, and flight restrictions plus airport closures in the UAE created obstacles that just couldn't be worked around in time. ### How the Conflict Grounded Cricket Fighting spread across the Middle East after US and Israeli strikes on Iran back on February 28. Tehran responded with drone and missile attacks on Gulf targets, and Dubai International Airport actually closed briefly when Iran fired projectiles across the region. Those closures and airspace restrictions created a domino effect that made travel arrangements impossible for cricket teams using the UAE as their base. A Sri Lanka Cricket official told AFP straight up - the series had to be cancelled because of the flight situation and ongoing fighting. The ACB was a bit more diplomatic in their statement, talking about "unforeseen developments" and "logistical constraints" while referring to "the ongoing regional situation" without naming the conflict directly. ### What We're Missing Out On Let me break down what was supposed to happen: - Three T20 Internationals at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on March 13, 15, and 17 - Three ODIs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on March 20, 22, and 25 - All six matches were white-ball fixtures, making it a complete limited-overs bilateral series The UAE would have served as Afghanistan's home venue, which has become their standard arrangement. Afghanistan has never actually hosted an international match on home soil, so the UAE continues to be their preferred neutral ground. ### Ibrahim Zadran's Big Moment Delayed This postponement hits especially hard for Afghanistan cricket. The series was supposed to be Ibrahim Zadran's first as captain. He took over the leadership role from Rashid Khan after Afghanistan's group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup. Now his captaincy debut has no confirmed date, which has to be frustrating for him and his team. Here's another historical note - this would have been the first time Afghanistan ever hosted Sri Lanka in a bilateral series. So we're missing out on what would have been a milestone assignment for the new captain and a historic moment for Afghan cricket. ### The Decision-Making Process The ACB didn't make this call lightly. According to their official statement, they went through three meetings in just five days trying to salvage the situation. A joint meeting on March 4 with all the involved parties recommended monitoring the situation and reassessing by March 6. Then a follow-up meeting on March 7 suggested holding off until March 9 before making a final call. Only after that March 9 review did they finally confirm the postponement. They waited until just four days before the first T20I was supposed to start before pulling the plug - that shows how hard everyone tried to keep the series alive. As the ACB put it in their statement: "Despite the collective efforts of all parties to proceed with the event as planned, the logistical challenges remained beyond operational control, leading to the decision to postpone the series and explore rescheduling options." The board confirmed they expect the UAE to remain the preferred venue when the series does eventually happen. It's just a matter of waiting for regional stability to return and logistics to become manageable again. For now, cricket fans will have to mark their calendars for late 2026 and hope for clearer skies - both literally and politically.