Afghanistan-Sri Lanka Cricket Series in UAE Postponed Amid Middle East Conflict

The direct impact of the escalating military conflict in the Middle East has been felt in cricket. The limited-overs cricket series scheduled between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, set to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from March 13 to 25, is facing indefinite postponement.

Although neither country's cricket board has issued an official statement yet, both parties have concluded that hosting the matches in the UAE is unfeasible due to the insecurity arising from the conflict and the disruption to air routes. The series was scheduled to include three T20 matches and three One Day Internationals (ODIs). According to the schedule, the T20 matches were supposed to be held in Sharjah on March 13, 15, and 17, while the ODIs were slated for Dubai on March 20, 22, and 25.

However, keeping player safety in mind due to regional tensions, the boards are discussing options to either postpone or cancel the games. The possibility of immediately relocating this series to another country appears very low due to technical and logistical difficulties.

This series was particularly significant for Afghanistan. Following their exit from the World Cup group stage, Afghanistan was preparing to take the field for the first time under the captaincy of Ibrahim Zadran, replacing Rashid Khan. However, the shadow of the war has affected the entire match schedule. Previously, six matches of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2, involving Oman, the UAE, and host Nepal, which were supposed to be held in Nepal, have also been postponed due to this same conflict.

The closure or restriction of airspace in the Middle East has also created major problems for the travel schedules of cricket teams worldwide. The West Indies and South Africa teams, who were returning after playing the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, were stranded in Kolkata. Their flights were only confirmed on Sunday.