Afghanistan-Pakistan ODIs moved from Sri Lanka to Pakistan

Afghanistan’s three-match ODI series against Pakistan has been moved from Hambantota to Pakistan because of logistical challenges in the Afghanistan team’s travel, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Hamid Shinwari confirmed to ESPNcricinfo. No commercial flights are taking off from Kabul following the Taliban takeover of the country and Sri Lanka announced a 10-day lockdown on Friday, two days after the country reported 3793 new cases and a highest-ever single-day death toll of 187.

The Afghanistan contingent was supposed to travel by road to Pakistan, then fly to Dubai, and then on to Colombo for the series, but the circuitous route is throwing up logistical challenges because of the Covid-19 protocols.

The Afghanistan team will now travel to Pakistan later this week and the ACB is yet to announce the venue(s) for the ODIs starting September 3.