Afghanistan will be hosting the West Indies in a three-match T20I series in January in what will be a key dress rehearsal for both sides. The UAE will be hosting the series that begins on January 19. Meanwhile, the T20 World Cup 2026 will be played in February.
In a build-up ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan are set to host the West Indies in a three-match T20I series in January 2026. Afghanistan, one of the rising powerhouses in world cricket, made it to the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024, while the two-time champions Windies also made it to the last four.
The upcoming series will be played in the UAE, and it will provide crucial game time for both teams to prepare for the T20 World Cup, with the conditions in the Gulf nation not being too dissimilar to those of India and Sri Lanka, the two venues for the World Cup next year. The series will begin on January 19, with the next two matches on January 21 and 22, respectively.
Speaking on the series, the Afghanistan Cricket Board CEO Naseeb Khan said, “Competing against the West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalise 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, the Cricket West Indies Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, also looks forward to the series. “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,” he said.
Both Afghanistan and the West Indies have been continuously playing the T20I format for some time. The Afghanistan side recently swept Zimbabwe 3-0 away from home but were blanked by Bangladesh 3-0 in Sharjah in the series preceding it. They will now face Qatar in another away series from November 8 onwards.
Meanwhile, the Windies are currently locking horns against New Zealand at the latter’s home. The three-match series is tied 1-1 with one match to go. The Windies had blanked Bangladesh away from home in their last T20I series but were shocked by Nepal 2-1 in the series preceding it.