Afghanistan cricket bosses Wednesday expressed disappointment that Australia had scrapped a men's T20 series because of deteriorating women's rights in the Taliban-ruled country and called for "politics-free cricket".
Ireland finally won their first Test match on Friday when they defeated Afghanistan by six wickets in Abu Dhabi, ending a streak of seven successive losses.
The venue for the eagerly anticipated Test match between Afghanistan and Ireland has been relocated to accommodate a local school sports competition in Abu Dhabi.
Rashid Khan, who is still recovering from the lower-back surgery, is not part of the squad. Afghanistan have added additional spin cover in the form of leg-spinner Khalil Gurbaz
Afghanistan salvaged some pride on Wednesday when they secured a nail-biting three-run win over hosts Sri Lanka in the third T20 international, the last game of their multi-format tour.
Sri Lanka sealed a commanding 155-run victory over Afghanistan in the second one-day international on Sunday in Kandy, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Sri Lanka wrapped up a comfortable 10-wicket win in the one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Colombo on Monday.
Sri Lanka collapsed from 427 for six to 439 all out on the third day of their one-off Test against Afghanistan on Sunday, with one of their batsmen forced off the field after being hit on the helmet.
The hosts were leading by 89 runs in Colombo after elegant stroke play by the two experienced batsmen
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and had no hesitation in deciding to bat first against Afghanistan in an Asia Cup contest they must win to stay alive.
Bangladesh will hope to beat Afghanistan for the first time as the two teams face off hope in the first of two FIFA Friendly matches at the Bashundhara Kings Arena today.
Bangladesh football team’s captain Jamal Bhuiyan hoped that Bangladesh would beat Afghanistan tomorrow in both cricket and football, but hoped that the sports lovers would watch and support the football team.
The Afghanistan head coach highlighted the fact that they beat Bangladesh in a ODI series for the first time in Bangladesh just recently.
The first contingent of Afghanistan national football team landed in Dhaka in the early hours of Sunday ahead of their two FIFA friendly matches against hosts Bangladesh.
The Bashundhara Kings Arena will host the two FIFA Friendly matches between Bangladesh and Afghanistan early next month, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed.
Ten teams will feature in the 46-day tournament, to be held across 10 cities. Along with Ahmedabad, the other host cities include Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamsala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Pune.
Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday announced the dates of two FIFA friendly matches against Afghanistan on September 4 and 7 as part of the national team’s preparation for October’s World Cup pre-qualifiers against Maldives.
Bangladesh will host Afghanistan for two FIFA friendly matches in early September, confirmed Bangladesh Football Federation’s vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed on Monday.
Ace spinner Rashid Khan was named on Sunday in Afghanistan's 16-member squad for the one-day international series against Pakistan.