India will begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on Sunday, September 13, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series comes as part of India’s preparations for the Asian Games and will also give the team management an opportunity to assess several selection options.
Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness will be one of the major talking points heading into the series. The pace spearhead missed India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka because of an injury, making his match fitness an important factor for the team.
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India have plenty of selection decisions to make, particularly at the top of the order. Captain Shreyas Iyer and the team management are expected to choose two openers from Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Abhishek appears to be the leading contender for one of the opening spots, while Samson and Sooryavanshi are competing for the other position. Iyer admitted before the match that the decision is not an easy one, with all three batters offering different strengths.
The middle order also has several options. Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube are expected to retain their places, while Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy are competing for two spots.
Ishan Kishan’s fitness could further complicate India’s final XI. His availability could influence both the wicketkeeping setup and the batting combination, meaning the playing XI may only become clear at the toss.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, will look to their strong spin attack to put pressure on India’s batters. The hosts will hope to take advantage of conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and exploit any uncertainty in India’s batting order.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I: Match details
When will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I be played?
The first T20I will be played on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
What time will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I start?
The match will begin at 7:00 PM IST.
Where will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I be played?
The match will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I: TV telecast
The first T20I between India and Afghanistan will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network in India.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I: Live streaming
The match will be available to stream live on FanCode.
With several spots in India’s playing XI still up for grabs, the opening T20I will be particularly important for players looking to make their case ahead of the Asian Games.
