Archive · 12 Sep 2026
India Face Afghanistan in Historic Delhi T20I Home-Side Reversal
India and Afghanistan are beginning a three-match T20 cricket series.
The first game is in Delhi, but Afghanistan is officially hosting India.
This is unusual because India has always been the home team at this stadium before.
Shreyas Iyer is leading India after taking over from Suryakumar Yadav.
India has struggled in some recent series but swept Zimbabwe.
Several important Indian players are returning from injuries.
India will need to be careful not to overwork them because many matches are coming up.
Afghanistan wants useful practice before the Asian Games.
Its captain says the team knows the local conditions well.
India will play Afghanistan as the visiting team at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium for the first time.
Shreyas Iyer’s India enters the three-match series after losses to England and Ireland but a sweep of Zimbabwe.
Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy have returned from injuries subject to fitness clearance.
India is expected to manage workloads amid a demanding schedule featuring potentially 20 T20Is before year’s end.
Afghanistan is using the series as preparation for the Asian Games after limited recent T20I cricket.
- Who
- India, led by Shreyas Iyer, and Afghanistan, led by Ibrahim Zadran.
- What
- They are playing the first match of a three-match T20I series, with India designated as the visiting team in Delhi.
- When
- The first T20I is scheduled for Sunday, September 13.
- Where
- Arun Jaitley Stadium in central Delhi, India.
- Why
- India is assessing returning players and preparing for a busy T20 schedule, while Afghanistan is seeking game time before the Asian Games.
- Series
- Three-match T20I series
- Opening venue
- Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
- Unusual feature
- India will play as the visiting team at its own Delhi venue
- India captain
- Shreyas Iyer
- Afghanistan captain
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Returning Indian players
- Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy
- India’s recent record
- Lost 4 of 5 matches in England, lost 2-0 to Ireland and swept Zimbabwe 3-0
- Afghanistan’s preparation
- The team had not played T20 cricket since the February T20 World Cup