The upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan could see a change in schedule, with a request made to bring the matches forward by a few days.
The India vs Afghanistan T20I series is officially scheduled to be played on September 13, 15 and 17, with all three matches taking place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Afghanistan will be the designated host for the series despite the matches being played in India.
However, according to a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI has received a request to shift the three matches to September 11, 13 and 14. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is understood to have cited a request from stakeholders while proposing the possible change.
As of now, the revised dates have not been officially confirmed.
India vs Afghanistan T20I Series: Current Schedule
The ACB officially announced the original schedule on August 12. All three matches are scheduled to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
| Match | Date | Venue | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | September 13, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
| 2nd T20I | September 15, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
| 3rd T20I | September 17, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
These remain the official dates unless the BCCI and ACB approve a revised schedule.
India vs Afghanistan T20I Series: Proposed New Schedule
According to the latest report, the request is to bring the series forward and play the three matches on September 11, 13 and 14.
| Match | Proposed Date | Venue | Format |
| 1st T20I | September 11, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
| 2nd T20I | September 13, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
| 3rd T20I | September 14, 2026 | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | T20I |
The most interesting part of the proposal is the September 14 fixture, which falls on Ganesh Chaturthi.
🚨 BIG UPDATE ON INDIA vs AFGHANISTAN T20I SERIES! 🇮🇳🇦🇫
As per Cricbuzz, the 3-match T20I series is set to be rescheduled, with the Afghanistan Cricket Board proposing September 11, 13 & 14 as the new dates. 🏏🔥
💰 The reason? ACB reportedly wants the matches to be played… pic.twitter.com/iUVeLTUEQW
— CricInformer (@CricInformer) August 21, 2026
Why Could the Schedule Be Changed?
The proposed change is connected to the cultural calendar in India, with stakeholders believing that playing a match on Ganesh Chaturthi could help attract more viewers and a better crowd at the venue.
According to Cricbuzz, the ACB and stakeholders associated with the series believe the revised dates could have a positive impact on television viewership and crowd turnout.
Earlier, ITW Universe, which holds the global rights for the series, had also requested the ACB to consider having one of the matches on September 14.
ITW’s preferred schedule was September 11, 13 and 14, while another option of September 13, 14 and either September 16 or 17 was also suggested.
The idea is to take advantage of the festive period and potentially make the series more attractive for both fans and commercial stakeholders.
However, there is an important point here. No revised schedule has been officially announced yet. The ACB’s original dates of September 13, 15 and 17 remain in place for now.
BCCI Has Room in India’s September Schedule
One reason why the proposed change could be possible is the available window in India’s schedule.
India are currently playing a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. The second Test in Colombo is scheduled from August 23 to 27, meaning India’s Test assignment will finish on August 27.
The Indian men’s team is then due to participate in the Asian Games, which begin on September 24.
India’s proposed Bangladesh white-ball tour, meanwhile, remains uncertain. The latest Cricbuzz report describes that series as seemingly ruled out, which leaves a useful window between the Sri Lanka Tests and the Asian Games.
Because of this gap, there is a feeling among ACB officials and the series stakeholders that the BCCI could agree to the request.
Still, nothing should be considered final until the two boards officially announce a change.
Afghanistan Will Host India in Delhi
Another interesting part of this series is that Afghanistan will officially be the host despite all three matches taking place in New Delhi.
Afghanistan have regularly used venues outside their own country for home international matches. India has also provided venues to Afghanistan in the past, making Delhi a practical option for this series.
The ACB has confirmed that the series forms part of Afghanistan’s Future Tours Programme.
It will also be the first time Afghanistan host India in a bilateral series, even though the matches themselves will be played on Indian soil.
That makes the series different from India’s previous bilateral meetings with Afghanistan.
India and Afghanistan to Complete Bilateral Engagement Across All Three Formats
The September series will also complete an interesting year of bilateral cricket between the two countries.
India hosted Afghanistan for a one-off Test and three ODIs in June 2026. India won the Test by an innings and also completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the ODI series.
Now, Afghanistan will be the designated host for the three T20Is in September.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also pointed out while announcing the series that the T20Is would mean the two teams had competed against each other across all three formats during this period.
The two teams have previously played a bilateral T20I series as well. India hosted Afghanistan for three T20Is in January 2024, winning the series 3-0.
The upcoming contest will therefore be their second bilateral T20I series.
Final Decision on Revised Dates Still Awaited
For now, cricket fans will have to wait for an official decision.
The India vs Afghanistan T20I series remains officially scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The proposed dates of September 11, 13 and 14 have been put forward, with Ganesh Chaturthi and the potential for stronger viewership and crowd turnout among the factors behind the request.
There appears to be enough room in India’s schedule to accommodate the change, but the revised dates cannot be treated as confirmed until an official announcement is made.
If the proposal is accepted, India and Afghanistan could finish their three-match T20I series three days earlier than originally planned, with the final game taking place on Ganesh Chaturthi.