Sri Lanka cancels Afghanistan series in UAE due to Middle East conflict

Sri Lanka’s national cricket team has postponed indefinitely its white-ball series against Afghanistan scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates this week, an official confirmed on Monday.“We had to cancel the match due to the flight situation… and the ongoing fighting in the area,” a Sri Lankan cricket official told AFP.

The two teams were originally scheduled to play three T20 internationals in Sharjah on March 13, 15 and 17, followed by three one-day internationals in Dubai on March 20, 22 and 25.The visit will mark the first time Afghanistan hosts Sri Lanka in a bilateral series.On February 28, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes and escalating tensions in the Middle East.The conflict disrupted flights across the region, including from Dubai. Dubai’s airport was briefly closed on Saturday after Iran fired drones and missiles at targets in the Gulf.War-torn Afghanistan has never hosted an international cricket match, instead hosting its home matches in India or the United Arab Emirates.