Zimbabwe to play tri-series in Pakistan after Afghanistan’s withdrawal

LAHORE: The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has formally accepted the invitation to replace Afghanistan in the next month’s T20I tri-series, also featuring Sri Lanka, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Saturday.

Earlier, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from the tri-series following the death of three local cricketers in what it alleged was a cross-border attack in the Urgun district of the country.

The first T20I tri-series on Pakistan soil is aimed at providing the three participating teams with the opportunity to prepare for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, tentatively scheduled in the February-March window.

The series will get underway on November 17, with hosts Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which will also host the subsequent fixture between the Chevrons and Sri Lanka on November 19. The action will then shift to the Gaddafi Stadium here, which will host all five of the remaining matches, including the final, slated to be played on November 29. The development came just hours after the PCB confirmed that the tri-series would proceed as per the schedule despite Afghanistan’s withdrawal.

In a post on X, the ACB claimed that several lives had been lost in the attack, including three local cricketers who had been returning home after playing a “friendly” match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika province. “The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” it said in a statement.

Describing the incident as “tragic”, the ACB said “as a gesture of respect to the victims” it had “decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series.” The ICC and the BCCI joined the ACB in mourning the loss of life of the cricketers.

Tri-Series T20I Tournament (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)

17 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

19 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

22 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

23 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

25 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

29 November –Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Web Desk