Afghanistan announce schedule for T20I series against West Indies ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

On Friday, November 7, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) officially announced that it would be hosting the West Indies National Cricket Team for a T20I series very soon.

The three-match T20I between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the West Indies National Cricket Team is all set to be played in January 2026.

UAE to host Afghanistan vs West Indies matches

The West Indies National Cricket Team will travel to the United Arab Emirates for the three-match T20I series that will be played on January 19, 21, and 22.

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This series will provide the Rashid Khan-led side and the Men in Maroon a great opportunity to prepare well for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which is expected to start in February 2026.

Both Afghanistan and the West Indies have qualified for the marquee tournament, where 20 teams will battle for the coveted title across two countries - India and Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan delivered a remarkable performance in the last T20 World Cup and sealed a place in the top four, and they will he looking to replicate their heroics while the two-time champions, West Indies, will be looking forward to reviving their cricket.

In an official statement, the ACB CEO, Mr. Naseeb Khan, said that playing against the West Indies will give them an excellent opportunity to finalize their lineup for the T20 World Cup 2026. He said:

"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."

Meanwhile, CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, said that the matches in the UAE will help them to acclimatize to Asian conditions. He said:

"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.”

Afghanistan vs West Indies Series schedule:

1st T20I - January 19, UAE

2nd T20I - January 21, UAE

3rd T20I - January 22, UAE

West Indies involved in a T20I series against New Zealand

The Men In Maroon are currently involved in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand, and after winning the first match by 7 runs, they lost the second game by 3 runs.

Speaking after the loss, the West Indies skipper Shai Hope said that they were quite unfortunate to finish on the wrong side of the result in the 2nd match. He said:

"That was too close, you know. It was unfortunate that we didn't cross the line this time. Credit must be given to Chapman for the way he played that innings; he kind of took the game away from us.

"We didn't really finish as well as we wanted to with the ball or the bat. There are a few little areas where we can be better, especially at the top--myself included. But there was a great fight shown by Powell, Shepherd and Forde to give us a good chance to win that game. It's just unfortunate we didn't cross the line this time."

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