The India vs Afghanistan men’s T20 International series is scheduled to begin at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 13, 2026, with the opening match starting at 7 PM IST. Shreyas Iyer will captain India, with Tilak Varma named vice-captain.
The three-match contest will remain in Delhi throughout. The second and third matches are scheduled for September 15 and September 17 respectively, according to the Afghanistan Cricket Board’s series announcement.
India vs Afghanistan: one venue for three matches
Although the matches take place in India, the Afghanistan Cricket Board is hosting the series as part of Afghanistan’s Future Tours Programme. The board confirmed the arrangements on August 12; the event itself begins on September 13.
That distinction explains why Afghanistan is the host team despite the venue being in New Delhi. The ACB announcement and the current match preview both identify Arun Jaitley Stadium as the venue for all three games.
Sunday’s match is the first of the series, followed by games on Tuesday and Thursday. This is a preview of the scheduled opener; no toss result, confirmed playing eleven or match result is being reported here.
Iyer leads India, with Sooryavanshi in the squad
Iyer’s appointment as captain and Varma’s role as deputy are confirmed in the pre-match coverage. Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also included in India’s squad.
Squad selection does not by itself establish a place in the starting eleven. The final playing teams must be distinguished from the larger groups announced ahead of the match, particularly where a player’s availability depends on fitness.
Speaking before the series, Iyer said India were concentrating on the Afghanistan matches one at a time rather than looking too far ahead to the Asian Games. Outlook’s report of his September 12 media interaction described his assessment of recent preparation as positive.
Series follows an established cricketing relationship
The ACB’s announcement places the contest within the teams’ bilateral programme. It also notes that Afghanistan has regularly used venues in India for home fixtures.
Current coverage records eight Indian wins in nine T20 International meetings between the sides, with the other match ending without a result. That historical record is separate from the outcome of this series, which had not begun at the time of this preview.
The immediate focus is the scheduled Sunday opener. The single-venue arrangement then gives the teams two further matches at the same ground over the following four days.
Travel planning for the Delhi match
Akashvani reported that Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory because the match coincides with the final day of the BRICS summit. Spectators should consult the current police advisory and their ticket instructions when planning entry and travel.
Match-day schedules and access arrangements can change. The confirmed published starting time for the September 13 opener is 7 PM IST, while subsequent games remain listed for September 15 and 17.
