A fascinating bilateral series may present itself, as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to host three T20 internationals. Never in history has Afghanistan hosted India. However, due to the geopolitical issues in their own country, ACB plans to host those games in India, namely in New Delhi itself.
India vs Afghanistan T20I schedule (tentative)
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I – India vs Afghanistan | 13 September 2026 (Sunday) | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 2nd T20I – India vs Afghanistan | 16 September 2026 (Wednesday) | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| 3rd T20I – India vs Afghanistan | 19 September 2026 (Saturday) | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
“BCCI and ACB share a good relationship. BCCI has been helping other boards like Ireland, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe by sending Indian teams to play a series there to boost the finances of those board. An understanding has been reached between BCCI and ACB in this regard. An official announcement will be made after a few modalities are completed,” a BCCI source told TOI.
“The BCCI mediated an understanding between ACB the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) for availability to be the home base for Afghanistan for the series. The DDCA is also scheduling its Delhi Premier League T20 accordingly.”
Afghanistan finally get their ‘home’ series against India
While India and Afghanistan have met multiple times in ICC events and bilateral cricket. While India’s first series after the IPL 2026 is against Afghanistan, the Afghans have never hosted India before. That is set to change in September, if any unusual circumstances don’t arise.
For over a decade, Afghanistan have been forced to play their home matches outside their country because of the political and security situation back home. India has played an important role in supporting Afghan cricket during this period, with Greater Noida and Dehradun previously serving as Afghanistan’s adopted home venues.
Afghanistan hosted Ireland in Greater Noida in 2017 before shifting a T20I series against Bangladesh to Dehradun in 2018. Later, they moved most of their home assignments to the UAE, primarily Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Their most recent attempt to host a major Test in India ended in disappointment when the one-off Test against New Zealand in Greater Noida in September 2024 was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of an unplayable outfield following rain.
Now, the Arun Jaitley Stadium appears set to become Afghanistan’s latest temporary home as they prepare to welcome one of world cricket’s biggest attractions. In recent years, India has helped several Full Member and Associate nations by agreeing to bilateral tours that strengthen cricketing ties while also generating valuable revenue for smaller boards.
Asian Games headache force India to split squads
The timing of the Afghanistan series makes it particularly interesting. According to the report, the itinerary has already been shared with India’s selection committee because the BCCI faces a scheduling challenge unlike any other later this year.
The three T20Is against Afghanistan conclude on September 19, exactly when an Indian team will be at the Asian Games. Cricket at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, is scheduled to begin on September 23, with India entering the tournament as defending gold medallists.
India’s packed September-October schedule
| Dates | Tournament/Series |
|---|---|
| September 13-19 | Afghanistan vs India T20I series |
| September 23-October 3 | Asian Games 2026 |
| September 27-October 3 | West Indies tour of India: ODIs |
| October 6-October 17 | West Indies tour of India: T20Is |
The congestion will force the BCCI into selecting two separate squads. One squad, likely featuring younger players and fringe internationals, could represent India at the Asian Games. Meanwhile, the senior side is expected to remain in India for the home season, which begins with the Afghanistan series and continues almost immediately with the West Indies tour.
Afghanistan tour of India schedule
| Day | Date | Time (IST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | 06 June-26 | 9:30 AM | Test | New Chandigarh |
| Sunday | 14 June-26 | 1:30 PM | 1st ODI | Dharamshala |
| Wednesday | 17 June-26 | 1:30 PM | 2nd ODI | Lucknow |
| Saturday | 20 June-26 | 1:30 PM | 3rd ODI | Chennai |
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