Afghanistan to host South Africa in three ODIs in Sharjah

Afghanistan is set to compete against South Africa in a bilateral series for the first time this year, as they will host the Proteas for three one-day internationals in the United Arab Emirates, as announced by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) on Wednesday.

The matches are scheduled to take place from September 18th to 22nd at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, following Afghanistan's one-off test match against New Zealand, which is planned for September 9th to 13th in Greater Noida, India.

"The recent meeting of the International Cricket Council was highly beneficial for us," stated ACB chairman Mirwais Ashraf.

"In addition to finalizing the dates for the one-off test match against New Zealand, we have also reached an agreement with Cricket South Africa for a series of three ODIs in September.

"... They are a formidable team, and we are looking forward to hosting them and establishing a regular playing schedule in the future."

Afghanistan and South Africa have faced each other twice in ODIs, with both encounters taking place during World Cups in 2019 and 2023.

Moreover, the two teams have clashed three times in T20 World Cups, in 2010, 2016, and most recently in the semi-finals of the current year's tournament, with South Africa emerging victorious on all occasions.

Cricket South Africa chief Lawson Naidoo expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming historic ODI series against Afghanistan, acknowledging their development into a highly competitive team based on their recent performances.

Naidoo emphasized the significance of this series in strengthening the cricketing ties between the two nations, anticipating a fiercely contested and entertaining competition.