Cricket
oi-Gaurav Sharma
India begin their preparations for the Asian Games as they face Afghanistan in the three-game T20I series in New Delhi on Sunday.
The unusual series sees Afghanistan listed as the hosts even as all the games are being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
India begins its Asian Games preparation against Afghanistan in a T20I series in New Delhi on September 13, 2026, with Jasprit Bumrah returning for India, while Afghanistan aims for their first T20I victory over the Men in Blue at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It means the visitors get the advantage of spending the days ahead in New Delhi.
For India, the series is an important lead-up to the Asian Games while Afghanistan look to register their first T20I win over the Men in Blue.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I: Talking points ahead of the match
Afghanistan are the hosts in New Delhi
All three matches have been designated as Afghanistan home fixtures, despite them being played in India’s capital.
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran has stated that the visitors have not made any special requests to the curator.
In any case, they have had the advantage of training in New Delhi.
India have the Asian Games in sight
The series is India’s final bilateral T20I assignment before the Asian Games in Japan.
The competition begins on September 19 where the cricket tournament carries added significance as the gold medallists will qualify for the 2028 Olympics.
India have therefore gone with a strong squad instead of resting a few key players.
Selection headache at the top
India captain Shreyas Iyer has an interesting problem on his hands with three attacking options at the top of the order – Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson.
Samson is back from the Zimbabwe tour while teenage batter Sooryavanshi has impressed with his performances. Abhishek remains another seasoned campaigner.
Iyer admitted that having all three available is a “luxury” but managing the players who miss out will be important.
Ishan Kishan’s fitness could affect the XI
Ishan Kishan suffered a back sprain during training which has left his participation in doubt.
If he is unable to keep wickets, Sanju Samson could step in as the wicketkeeper. His fitness could therefore determine both the batting combination as well as the wicketkeeping strategy.
Jasprit Bumrah returns
One of the biggest positives for India is the return of Jasprit Bumrah.
Bumrah is expected to spearhead the pace attack, alongside Arshdeep Singh, as they build up for the Asian Games and look to improve their T20I consistency.
All-rounder combination remains undecided
India have a few options despite Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana being unavailable.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are all in contention. The way Nitish can contribute with both bat and ball could make him a handy addition to the preferred combination in India’s thinking.
While the specialist spinner’s position could be contested by Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy is expected to return after his injury layoff.
Afghanistan want to end India’s unbeaten run
Afghanistan have never defeated India in a T20I but Ibrahim Zadran’s team feels this series presents a genuine opportunity.
Afghanistan have a strong squad which includes Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Naveen-ul-Haq while Gulbadin Naib returns after an injury layoff.
Zadran acknowledged India’s dominance but said they will try to execute their plans without getting carried away.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I: Match details
- Match: India vs Afghanistan, 1st T20I
- Date: Sunday, September 13, 2026
- Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
- Toss: 6:30 PM IST
- Match: 7:00 PM IST
- TV: Sony Sports
- Streaming: FanCode
- Series: Three-match T20I series
Probable India XI
Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy
Probable Afghanistan XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq
With India looking to find the right combination ahead of the Asian Games and Afghanistan chasing their first T20I win over the Men in Blue, the opening match promises an intriguing contest in New Delhi.
