MUMBAI: In a significant development, the BCCI has given a green signal to Afghanistan -now under Taliban rule-to host its matches in India after a gap of four years.
Afghanistan will thus turn out Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida for the first time since March 2020 for a white-ball home series against Bangladesh in July-August.
As per the tentative itinerary (TOI has a copy), the series will involve three ODIs and as many T20Is between July 25 and August 6. The Bangladesh team is scheduled to arrive in Greater Noida from New Delhi on July 22 and will have a couple of days' training session before playing its first ODI. While the ODIs will begin from July 25, the T20I series will be played from August 2-6, with Bangladesh departing on August 7.
It's learnt that the BCCI has allotted two 'home' venues to Afghanistan-Greater Noida and Kanpur. Back in December 2015, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had signed a memorandum of understanding to use the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Noida, about 40 kms outside Delhi, as their home ground.
Thereafter, Afghanistan played their 'home' matches in Dehradun, the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow and Greater Noida.
The Afghanistan-Bangladesh series schedule: July 25: First ODI, July 27: Second ODI, July 30: Third ODI, August 2: First T20I, August 4: Second T20I, August 6: Third T20I
