Afghanistan's tour of Sri Lanka is set to commence on February 2 with the one-off Test match. The two teams will face each other in three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals as well this month. However, the two teams will lock horns in the red--ball format for the first time in history. Afghanistan got the Test status in 2017 and since then, they have played seven matches in format winning three and losing four but none against the team from island nation.
They are performing exceptionally well in the shorter formats of the game and will be eager to show improvement in Test cricket as well. The team last played in the format in June 2023 losing to Bangladesh away from home by a massive margin. On the other hand, Sri Lanka too are returning to playing in the whites after a gap of more than five months. Interestingly, the one-off Test is not a part of the World Test Championship (WTC) but it is a significant game for Dhananjaya de Silva who is leading the team for the first time in the format.
When it comes to ODIs and T20Is, the two teams have been involved in some thrilling encounters with even Afghanistan winning a few matches recently. After the one-off Test, the ODI series is scheduled to commence on February 9 while the first T20I will be played on February 17.
Here's all you need to know about this tour:
Schedule
February 2 - February 6 - Only Test: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo - 10 AM IST
February 9 - 1st ODI: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 2:30 PM IST
February 11 - 2nd ODI: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 2:30 PM IST
February 14 - 3rd ODI: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 2:30 PM IST
February 17 - 1st T20I: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 7 PM IST
February 19 - 2nd T20I: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 7 PM IST
February 21 - 3rd T20I: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - 7 PM IST
Squads
Afghanistan Test Squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran, Noor Ali Zadran, Baheer Shah, Nasir Jamal, Abdul Malik, Nijat Masood, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Ishaq, Qais Ahmad, Zahir Khan, Zia-ur-Rehman, Yamin Ahmadzai, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Naveed Zadran
Sri Lanka Test squad: Dimuth Karunaratne, Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Angelo Mathews, Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Kusal Mendis, Nishan Madhushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Lahiru Udara, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya, Chamika Gunasekara
Both teams are yet to announce their ODI and T20I squads.
Broadcast Details and Live Streaming
Afghanistan tour of Sri Lanka will be live on Sony Sports 5. The live streaming will be available on SonyLIV.
