West Indies to Face Afghanistan in Three-Match T20I Series Ahead of 2026 World Cup

West Indies will play its first T20 International series for 2026 against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates. This three-match series is scheduled to start from January 2026. 

The first match of the series will be played on January 19, followed by the second and third matches on January 21 and 22. Both teams are expected to use the series as a key preparation for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The tournament will take place a few weeks later, in February 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) said that the series will be a good chance for their team to prepare better in sub-continent conditions. CWI’s Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe stated that playing against a strong team like Afghanistan would help the players to build confidence and implement plans ahead of the World Cup in 2026.

“This series provides an ideal platform for our preparation. Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, and it also gives our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka,” said Miles Bascombe.

The Chief Executive of Afghanistan Cricket Board, Naseeb Khan also welcomed the series and reckoned it as a good opportunity for the both the teams to lock their playing XI and better prepare themselves for upcoming global tournament. He further said that they are also overseeing the training of the team and that competing against a strong team like the West Indies provides the players a great opportunity to prepare themselves.

West Indies v/s Afghanistan - Match Schedule

• 1st T20I: January 19 - Sharjah, UAE 
• 2nd T20I: January 21 - Sharjah, UAE
• 3rd T20I: January 22 - Sharjah, UAE