Due to the Men in Blue’s tight schedule ahead of the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 at home, Team India’s proposed three-match ODI series against Afghanistan is looking increasingly doubtful.
According to Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is struggling to fit three white-ball games in between the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which will take place from June 7-11, and the series against the West Indies, which will take place from July 12 to August 13.
The three games against Afghanistan were originally scheduled to be played between June 20 and 30, before Rohit Sharma’s men depart for the Caribbean on July 7 to play two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is.
However, with the Asia Cup scheduled for September, the BCCI is concerned about players getting enough rest ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023, which will be held in India later in October-November.
The report goes on to say that there could be other reasons why the India-Afghanistan series is in jeopardy, one of which is the expiration of the BCCI’s broadcast deal with Disney Star. A new tender for the same has not yet been released, which could be a major roadblock.
On the invitation of the BCCI, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) president Mirwais Ashraf is reportedly in India right now to attend the IPL 2023 final on May 28. The presidents of the BCCI and the boards of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh are expected to meet to discuss a possible solution for the Asia Cup 2023.
The India and Afghanistan series may also be discussed, and the BCCI has received a schedule for the series against the West Indies, though they are likely to consult with Cricket West Indies (CWI) before releasing a final schedule.