The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed Thursday Afghanistan will embark on a tour to the United Arab Emirates later this month to play a series of three T20Is and two 50-over warmup matches against the hosts at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Both teams will first meet in two 50-Over warmup games on the 25th and 27th of December before the start of the three T20I matches, which are scheduled to be played on the 29th of December, 31st of December and 2nd of January in Sharjah.

This will be Afghanistan’s 2nd tour to UAE in 2023, with the Rashid Khan-led side winning the first series 2-1 in Abu Dhabi in February.

The series is being played under the mutual cooperation agreement that was signed last year between Afghanistan and the Emirates Cricket Boards. Based on the agreement, Afghanistan will play a series of three T20I matches with the UAE on an annual basis.

CEO of Afghanistan Cricket Board Naseeb Khan said: “Our collaboration with the UAE Cricket Board has been helpful. The inaugural UAE Series earlier this year offered us an excellent foundation to prepare for the following events throughout the year.

“Banking on our positive previous experience, we eagerly anticipate the upcoming UAE series for the same purpose again,” he said.

“This upcoming tour marks the commencement of our new year which is expected to provide the AfghanAtalan squad with the necessary impetus for an action-packed 2024 season, featuring plenty of T20 cricket to be played.”

The General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board Mubashshir Usmani said: “We are delighted to host the Afghanistan team for the second time this year. We had a hugely competitive T20I series in February and this tour will once again provide excellent opportunities to our seasoned as well as young players against a formidable opponent.

“Afghanistan performed incredibly well in the ODI World Cup, and they are a team on the rise with a strong support base in the UAE. We look forward to welcoming the Afghanistan team,” he said.

The series will conclude Afghanistan’s duties for 2023 and will simultaneously mark the beginning of an eventful and action-packed 2024.

Afghanistan cricket is gearing up for a busy year ahead which encompasses various bilateral commitments alongside the big event, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for June 2024.