Afghanistan and Bangladesh Eye October 2025 T20I Series in UAE as T20 World Cup Prep

Afghanistan and Bangladesh are in advanced discussions to play a three-match T20I series in the UAE in October 2025, with both boards considering the series a vital tune-up for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Talks between the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are ongoing, with an official announcement expected in the coming months.

The proposed T20I series is set to revive a previously postponed set of matches from Afghanistan’s original all-format tour of Bangladesh scheduled for July 2024. That tour was significantly shortened due to scheduling constraints and monsoon concerns, leading to the T20I leg being shelved. The initially planned venue of Greater Noida was also scrapped due to adverse weather and Bangladesh’s packed domestic and international calendar.

In a recent development, a BCB official confirmed to Cricbuzz that the two boards have reopened negotiations:

“We have already started our discussion with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) regarding the series that was postponed earlier and hope to discuss further after Ramadan. We are hoping to play three T20Is as we are considering it as part of our preparation for the T20 World Cup.”

According to sources, the ACB has proposed a series window from October 2 to 12, 2025, which fits neatly between the Asia Cup in September and Bangladesh’s home series against the West Indies. The series will be staged in the UAE, a neutral venue that has hosted several key international fixtures for both sides in recent years.

The last meeting between Afghanistan and Bangladesh in T20Is came during the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Afghanistan secured a memorable win that booked them a historic first-ever semi-final berth. Since then, the teams have not met in the shortest format.

In November 2024, both teams played a three-match ODI series in the UAE, with Afghanistan clinching the series 2–1. The success of that series has encouraged both boards to pursue further bilateral engagements as part of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP).

Afghanistan’s schedule leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup includes tours to Zimbabwe, the West Indies, and New Zealand. Bangladesh, meanwhile, is using the UAE series to experiment with squad combinations and assess their bench strength ahead of the global tournament.

If confirmed, this T20I series will offer both teams a competitive platform to refine their strategies and build momentum heading into the marquee ICC event.