Cricket
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are set to battle it out in an ODI tri-series in the United Arab Emirates from October 17 to 23, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
The four-match tournament will consist of three league matches and a final, as all three teams look to get a taste of 50-over cricket ahead of a busy international calendar.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe will compete in an ODI tri-series in the UAE from October 17-23, featuring three league matches and a final to gain valuable 50-over cricket experience ahead of a busy international schedule.
The tri-series will start on October 17, with Bangladesh playing Zimbabwe in the opening game. Zimbabwe will play Afghanistan on October 19, while Afghanistan and Bangladesh will meet in the third league match on October 21.
The tournament final will be held on October 23.
Tri-series promises competitive ODI action
The UAE tournament is expected to provide valuable ODI exposure for Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, with all three sides set to use the competition to gauge their squads and build momentum through a series of high-quality, 50-over contests.
Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni described the tri-series as an important challenge for his side, as Zimbabwe is set to face two strong opponents.
“The ODI tri-series will test us against two strong sides,” said Makoni, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
He described the wider UAE tour as equally important, as it will allow the players to compete across all three formats.
Afghanistan to host action-packed UAE programme
The ODI tri-series is part of an extensive UAE programme involving Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
Prior to the tournament getting under way, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will play a one-off Test from October 9 to 13. Following the tri-series, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe are set to face each other in three T20Is and two Tests.
ACB chief executive officer Naseeb Khan said the contests against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would provide Afghanistan’s players with valuable international experience across formats.
With four matches packed into seven days, the ODI tri-series will be the centrepiece of the October schedule, and will give fans three international teams competing for the trophy in the UAE.
