New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Friday that it will host the West Indies for a three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 19 to 22 in 2026. The series will be a part of both teams’ final preparations ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in India and Sri Lanka approximately one month after the series ends.

The opening match will be played on January 19, followed by the second and third T20Is on January 21 and 22, respectively. All fixtures will be held in the UAE, which has served as a neutral venue for Afghanistan’s several international series in recent years – though a particular venue hasn’t been specified in the series schedule.

The ACB stated that the series will offer both Afghanistan and West Indies invaluable match practice and a chance to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the global tournament. West Indies have a 5-3 edge over Afghanistan in their T20I meetings so far.

“Competing against the West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance their preparations for the upcoming mega event in India and Sri Lanka.”

“We have been closely monitoring the team’s preparation process, and facing a quality West Indies side offers an ideal platform for their buildup,” said ACB CEO Naseeb Khan in a statement.

Both sides are expected to field full-strength squads as they look to build their preparation for the tenth edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup. “This series provides an ideal platform for our preparation.”

“Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, and it also gives our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka,” said Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket.

–IANS

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