Zimbabwe to interchange Afghanistan in Pakistan tri-series

Zimbabwe will substitute Afghanistan within the three-nation T20I match to be performed in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, the PCB mentioned on Saturday (October 18, 2025).

Afghanistan introduced earlier within the day that it will not be sending its crew to Pakistan for the match, citing the tragic demise of three of its cricketers which it claimed occurred in Pakistan’s air strikes in Paktika province.

Sri Lanka are the third aspect within the match starting in Rawalpindi.

In a press release saying Zimbabwe’s participation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) merely mentioned that “Afghanistan expressed their inability to participate in the tournament.”

“Zimbabwe Cricket has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board’s invitation to participate in a T20I tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka, to be staged in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 17 to 29 November,” the PCB mentioned.

“The maiden tri-series on Pakistan soil has been scheduled to provide all three sides with preparation ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka.”

The tri-series will begin on November 17, with hosts Pakistan taking over Zimbabwe on the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second fixture may even be performed on the identical venue on November 19, when Sri Lanka tackle Zimbabwe.

Following the 2 matches in Rawalpindi, the motion will shift to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which can stage the remaining 5 matches, together with the ultimate on November 29.

Earlier within the day, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in a publish on X, acknowledged that a number of lives have been misplaced within the incident, together with the three gamers returning residence after a “pleasant’ match in Sharana, the provincial capital.

“The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” it mentioned in a press release.

Describing the incident as “tragic”, the ACB mentioned “as a gesture of respect to the victims” it had “decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series.”

The ICC and the BCCI have additionally condemned the killing of the aspiring cricketers.