3 weeks ago
India-Afghanistan T20I Series Confirmed; Bangladesh Tour Hopes Fade
Cricket is a sport played between teams from different countries.
India wanted to tour Bangladesh in September to play a series of matches.
But now India will instead play three short matches, called T20Is, against Afghanistan.
The matches will happen on September 13, 15 and 17 in New Delhi.
Because the dates clash, Bangladesh's hopes of hosting India have almost ended.
Earlier, India and Bangladesh had a disagreement over a player named Mustafizur Rahman.
Bangladesh was so upset that it refused to play in the T20 World Cup.
Bangladesh hoped the September tour would help fix the relationship between the two countries.
The Indian and Afghan cricket boards announced the matches together on Wednesday.
Afghanistan plays its home matches in India because it is not safe to play in Afghanistan right now.
The BCCI and Afghanistan Cricket Board confirmed a three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan on September 13, 15 and 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The confirmation casts serious doubt over India's proposed six-match white-ball tour of Bangladesh, which had been scheduled for September 1-13.
The series is part of Afghanistan's Future Tours Programme and is treated as a home assignment, with Afghanistan using India as a base due to its volatile political situation.
India-Bangladesh relations soured after Kolkata Knight Riders withdrew Mustafizur Rahman ahead of IPL 2026 following BCCI instructions, prompting Bangladesh to boycott the T20 World Cup citing security concerns.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan confirmed the dates and venues in a letter to commercial partners, while the boards later announced the series in a joint statement on Wednesday, August 12.
- Who
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), including BCCI President Mithun Manhas, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf and ACB CEO Naseeb Khan; India's T20I side is captained by Shreyas Iyer, while BCB President Tamim Iqbal had been working to revive the Bangladesh tour.
- What
- A three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan was confirmed for September 13-17 in New Delhi, casting serious doubt over India's proposed six-match white-ball tour of Bangladesh scheduled for September 1-13.
- Where
- Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, India; the story involves India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
- When
- The Afghanistan T20I series is scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17 and was announced on Wednesday, August 12; India's Bangladesh tour was planned for September 1-13 after being postponed from August 2025.
- Why
- The conflicting schedules, combined with strained India-Bangladesh relations after the Mustafizur Rahman controversy and Bangladesh's T20 World Cup boycott, have put the Bangladesh tour in doubt.
Bangladesh's Perspective
BCCI's Perspective
September touring window
Bangladesh's Perspective
Bangladesh hoped to host India for six white-ball matches (three ODIs and three T20Is) in September to revive strained bilateral ties after the Mustafizur Rahman fallout and its own T20 World Cup boycott.
BCCI's Perspective
The BCCI confirmed Afghanistan's three-match T20I series in the same window (September 13-17), effectively ending the prospects of the Bangladesh tour.
Cricket diplomacy
Bangladesh's Perspective
BCB President Tamim Iqbal has been working to improve relations with the BCCI and sought help from Bangladesh government ministries to clear the path for the bilateral series.
BCCI's Perspective
BCCI officials said the board remains committed to supporting the growth of cricket in Afghanistan, welcoming the ACB for what they described as a significant series strengthening ties between the two cricketing nations.
Key facts
- Series
- India tour of Afghanistan 2026 - three-match T20I series
- Dates
- September 13, 15 and 17
- Venue
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
- India T20I captain
- Shreyas Iyer
- Proposed Bangladesh tour
- Six white-ball matches, September 1-13 (now in doubt)
- Announcement
- Joint BCCI-ACB statement on Wednesday, August 12
- ACB CEO
- Naseeb Khan
- BCB President
- Tamim Iqbal
Quotes
Board of Control for Cricket in India & Afghanistan Cricket Board
Joint statement by the Indian and Afghan cricket boards
“"Bilateral cricket is an important part of this, as it allows teams to play regularly against quality opposition and gain valuable experience. We welcome the Afghanistan Cricket Board to India for this series and look forward to working closely with them to make it a successful one."”
deccanchronicle.com
theprint.in
freepressjournal.in
“We recently hosted Afghanistan for a Test and ODI series in June, and this T20I series will mean the two teams have now competed against each other across all three formats.”
telegraphindia.com
ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf
Chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board
“"Hosting India for a bilateral series in India is a significant milestone for us, and we highly value the cooperation and support of the BCCI in making this event possible."”
theprint.in
Sources
India Lock T20 Series Against Afghanistan in September; Bangladesh Hopes Fade
BCCI confirm India vs Afghanistan T20 series in September; hopes for Bangladesh tour fade
India's Tour Of Bangladesh In Doubt After Afghanistan Confirm T20I series In September
India lock T20 series against Afghanistan in September; Bangladesh hopes fade
India’s T20Is vs Afghanistan in Delhi replace Bangladesh tour amid diplomatic strain
India-Afghanistan T20I Series Confirmed For September In Delhi, Bangladesh Tour Plans In Doubt
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