Five-year agreement makes Abu Dhabi Afghanistan cricket's 'second home'

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub (ADCSH) have announced a five-year "destination support agreement", making Abu Dhabi the UAE host for all ACB training camps and all Afghanistan A and national age-group matches. As a possible next step in the arrangement, which runs till 2029, the ACB and Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) will work together for Afghanistan to use the venues in the UAE for hosting senior men's bilateral matches as well.

The update came after discussions between the ACB, the ADCSH, and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) in which the parties affirmed their "commitment to expanding cricket opportunities for Afghanistan's players on the global stage". A statement said that "the agreement also encompasses support towards ACB to facilitate the Board's global operations and enhance player development pathways".

Matt Boucher, the chief executive of ADCSH, said, "Our facilities have already welcomed the world's best players, and this agreement strengthens our strong commitment to nurturing global sporting and cricket talent and leveraging its capacity to be a force for societal good. We've loved hosting Afghanistan over the last couple of years and are pleased we can confirm Abu Dhabi as their second home."

ACB chief executive Naseeb Khan said the opportunity to utilise "all the premium facilities available" in Abu Dhabi would be a boost for Afghanistan cricket, especially at the age-group level. Calling the development a "turning point" for Afghanistan cricket, Naseeb said, "The opportunity to now focus on Abu Dhabi as our training base and our home for age-group participation will allow us to elevate Afghanistan's sporting success and build a strong national future for the game of cricket in our country."

The political situation in Afghanistan has meant that it has never developed as a touring destination for cricket teams, and the senior Afghanistan men's team has "hosted" visiting teams at "home venues" in India - Dehradun, Lucknow and Greater Noida - as well as in the UAE. Abu Dhabi, in fact, has been the site of three of Afghanistan's Test matches in the past, two in March 2021 against Zimbabwe and one in February 2024 against Ireland. They have hosted teams for ODIs and T20Is across India and the UAE as well.