Middle East Tensions Force Cancellation of White-Ball Series Between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka

The white-ball series between Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka in the UAE has been officially cancelled due to the rising Middle East tensions. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) cited ‘logistical challenges’ as the reason, noting that arranging games during such critical times is a major issue for all stakeholders.

"The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announces that the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka bilateral series, originally scheduled to commence on 13 March in the United Arab Emirates, has been rescheduled to the last quarter of 2026 due to logistical challenges, including flight constraints arising from the ongoing regional situation," said the ACB statement.

The board further stated that it had started making arrangements for the series following approval from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB). However, due to the evolving tensions in the Middle East, they have now been forced to cancel the series, as it created several operational and planning issues.

"Following the receipt of the required sanction from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), preparations had been finalized for hosting the matches across the two venues. However, in early March, unforeseen developments created logistical constraints that affected travel arrangements and operational planning for the series," said the ACB statement.

The ACB also revealed that it held various meetings with different stakeholders to find a solution to the issue, however, they were unable to reach any resolution as the situation in the Middle East continued to deteriorate.

"To address the situation, the Afghanistan Cricket Board held a series of consultations with key stakeholders, including the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS), and Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS)," said the ACB 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 statement further added.