Afghanistan and India will play a three-match Twenty20 International series at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13, 15, and 17, 2026, according to formal confirmation from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
On August 10, 2026, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan sent a letter to stakeholders outlining the itinerary and confirming all locations for the three games. The tour will take place from September 13 to September 17.
According to Cricbuzz, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan wrote to the board’s commercial partners stating the event dates have been confirmed and accepted with the BCCI, and the locations for the scheduled matches have also been finalised.
Despite the neutral venue agreement, all three matches will be played at India’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. This is the first time Afghanistan has formally hosted India in a bilateral Twenty20 International series.
What messages did the ACB send to owners of media rights?
Khan’s letter, which was sent only to media rights holders, provided them advance notice to begin preparations for the series’ broadcast and production. ITW Universe owns the series’ media rights, while the ACB is now negotiating linear broadcast rights with JioStar, Sony Sports, and Zed Unite8. The digital rights belong to FanCode.
The ACB noted in the letter that rights holders could proceed immediately, despite the fact that a public statement was still pending at the time of writing.
“While the appropriate authorities have yet to make an official public announcement about the event, the ACB is issuing this letter to confirm the scheduled dates and sites for India’s visit of Afghanistan in 2026.
Accordingly, all media rights holders may proceed with their advance planning, scheduling, and production arrangements, resource allocation, promotional efforts, and other associated preparations in accordance with the aforesaid schedule,” the letter continued.
In addition, the ACB began discussions with the BCCI about moving one match to September 14, which is Ganesh Chaturthi, in order to bring a festive flavour to the series. As of yet, no confirmation of the alteration has been issued.
What impact does the series have on India’s upcoming trip to Bangladesh?
The three-match series will conclude on September 17 with a four-day break before the Asian Games cricket competition begins on September 23. Due to its timing, the series immediately precedes one of the largest multi-sport events on the Asian cricket calendar.
The ACB’s official confirmation of the September 13-17 period has a direct bearing on the projected India trip of Bangladesh. The confirmed Afghanistan series dates now overlap with the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s September 1-13 visit window, making that scheduling option impracticable for India during that time.
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