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The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have officially announced a three-match T20 International series between Afghanistan and India, scheduled to take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi from September 13 to 17, 2026. The series will serve as Afghanistan’s designated “home” fixtures under their Future Tours Program, continuing the trend of the ACB hosting international matches in India.
The 3-match T20I series is set to directly clash with India’s upcoming tour of Bangladesh, which has been halted due to tensions between the two boards.
AGHANISTAN vs INDIA: SERIES SCHEDULE
1st T20I: September 13
2nd T20I: September 15
3rd T20I: September 17
Reaffirming the commitment between the two boards, BCCI President Mithun Manhas stated that the Indian board remains dedicated to aiding the growth of Afghan cricket and fostering regular bilateral competition.
BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia noted that following India’s hosting of Afghanistan for a Test and ODI series in June, the upcoming leg completes bilateral competition between the two sides across all three formats this year.
Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley assured world-class facilities at the venue, adding that fans in the capital can look forward to high-octane action between two fast-growing Asian rivals.
HAS INDIA TOUR OF BANGLADESH BEEN SHLEVED?
Bangladesh are making a fresh push to get India’s white-ball tour back on the calendar, but the emergence of a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in September has complicated the picture further.
India were originally scheduled to travel to Bangladesh for three ODIs and three T20Is. The series, which was initially planned for August last year, was postponed to 2026 amid geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
The Bangladesh government is now trying to break the deadlock through diplomatic channels, with discussions taking place at the ministerial level. However, any proposal from Bangladesh will have to be considered by the BCCI in consultation with the Indian government, sources told India Today.
Sports Minister Aminul Haque said the government was working towards restoring normal sporting ties with India and hoped the issue could be settled soon.
“It is being worked on at the ministerial level. We want to quickly resolve the deadlock that was created around the Cricket World Cup. God willing, we are hopeful that it will be resolved very soon,” Haque said on Monday, as quoted by AFP.
“We want to resolve the matter quickly. I hope to maintain strong, friendly relations with our neighbouring country through sports. We want to smoothly navigate the current state of uncertainty.
“The Indian High Commissioner has met with the Honourable Prime Minister. Discussions were also held today with the Foreign Minister and the State Minister. They, too, are very optimistic that the uncertainty surrounding the last T20 World Cup can be resolved quickly.
“We remain hopeful that the issue regarding the Bangladesh-India series can be settled through the discussions held between the two foreign ministries.”
WHY ARE INDIA DELAYING BANGLADESH TOUR?
The dispute between the two cricket boards has its roots in Bangladesh’s decision not to send their team to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The previous government had cited concerns over the safety and well-being of its players, following which Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the tournament.
With a new government now in place, Bangladesh has sought to rebuild ties with India, with cricket being viewed as an important avenue for sports diplomacy.
Newly appointed BCB president Tamim Iqbal has also expressed confidence that the India tour can still take place. Iqbal has described Bangladesh as “extremely safe” and maintained that the country is ready to host the Indian team.
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