New Delhi: Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Afghanistan is scheduled to host West Indies in a three-match T20I series in January 2026. Afghanistan, which reached the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024, faces the two-time champions West Indies, who also made it to the last four in the previous tournament.
The series will take place in the UAE, a venue that offers conditions similar to those expected in India and Sri Lanka, the host nations for the World Cup next year. The matches are set to commence on January 19, followed by additional games on January 21 and 22.
Naseeb Khan, CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, emphasized the significance of the series, stating, “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.” He noted that playing against a quality side like West Indies would provide an ideal platform for their build-up to the mega event.
Miles Bascombe, Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies, expressed optimism about the series as well. “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 teams have been active in the T20I format recently. Afghanistan recently completed a 3-0 series sweep against Zimbabwe away from home but faced a 3-0 defeat against Bangladesh in a series earlier in Sharjah. Afghanistan’s next challenge is a series against Qatar beginning November 8.
Meanwhile, West Indies is currently competing against New Zealand in a three-match series that is currently tied 1-1, with one match remaining. Prior to this series, the Caribbean side achieved a clean sweep against Bangladesh away but was unexpectedly defeated by Nepal 2-1 in their preceding encounter.
