Cricket
Afghanistan open their UAE ODI tri series campaign against Zimbabwe at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday, October 19. The fixture is scheduled for 5:15 pm Nepal time, equivalent to 11:30 UTC and 3:30 pm in the United Arab Emirates, according to the current Cricbuzz international schedule. Afghanistan Cricket Board’s official programme independently confirms the date and venue.
Zimbabwe have already played their opening game, defeating Bangladesh by 99 runs on October 17. This is therefore Afghanistan’s first appearance but the second match of the tournament, not the start of a bilateral ODI series. The source announcements were published before this preview: the wider programme on September 8 and detailed squads on October 1. Their relevance now is the confirmed approaching fixture.
The tournament has three league games, with each side meeting the other once before the leading two contest the October 23 final. Afghanistan’s second league assignment is against Bangladesh on October 21. The board’s more detailed October announcement places the first two games in Abu Dhabi, then the remaining league game and final in Sharjah.
Rahmat Shah leads Afghanistan’s ODI squad, which includes Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Ikram Alikhil among its batting and wicketkeeping options. Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and AM Ghazanfar are also named, alongside Fazal Haq Farooqi, Yamin Ahmadzai and other bowling options. This is the selected tournament group, not a confirmed eleven for Monday.
The October 1 announcement explains an important format distinction: Rashid and Ibrahim were rested from Test cricket on medical advice but included in the ODI squad. Nabi’s omission from the later T20I group likewise does not mean he has been omitted from this ODI competition. The board identifies preparation for the 2027 men’s ODI World Cup as one purpose of the tournament.
Rahmat had already led a 4 to 0 ODI series victory against Ireland in August. That completed result offers background to the captaincy, but does not determine what will happen against Zimbabwe or guarantee selection for every player in the squad.
Both teams bring recent competitive experience, though in different forms. Afghanistan’s preceding assignment was a drawn Test against Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi, completed on October 13. The board’s match account highlights Rahmat’s unbeaten 105 in the first innings and Atal’s maiden Test hundred in the second, with the latter making 111 from 332 deliveries.
Those innings involved surviving sustained pressure in the longer format rather than chasing a limited overs target. Zimbabwe’s more immediate reference point is their win over Bangladesh: they made 271 for eight before dismissing their opponents for 172. Craig Ervine’s 93 and a substantial rebuilding partnership with Brendan Taylor helped repair an early loss of wickets, while Brad Evans took four wickets in the chase.
The independent bdnews24 account records contributions from Zimbabwe’s spinners as Bangladesh’s reply unravelled. As sporting analysis, Monday tests whether Zimbabwe can repeat that recovery and collective bowling effort against a different opponent, while Afghanistan must change tempo from Test cricket to the ODI contest. Neither the previous result nor the announced squad supplies a toss decision, final lineup or reliable prediction.
For Nepal’s cricket followers, the verified practical information is a late afternoon start on October 19, with the result still to be decided on the field.
Source publication date: 2026-10-01. Event or reporting period: 2026-10-19.
Sources:Afghanistan Cricket Board, October 1 official squads, format distinctions and confirmed venues; original featured photograph · Afghanistan Cricket Board, September 8 official tournament format and schedule announcement · ICC, October 1 official account of Afghanistan squads and format specific selections · Afghanistan Cricket Board, October 13 Bangladesh Test report, historical context · bdnews24, October 18 report of Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh on October 17, historical match context · Cricbuzz, current international fixture schedule, checked October 19 Nepal time; start explicitly 11:30 GMT / 15:30 Abu Dhabi
Source: GPT News Feed
