Afghanistan to ‘Host’ India on Indian Soil in Historic Delhi Series

In a unique twist to cricketing geopolitics, Afghanistan are set to host India for a three-match T20I series in Delhi this September, marking the first time a team will stage a home series against India on Indian soil.

IGK has learned that the fixtures are likely to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 13, 15 and 17, though the schedule has not yet received official confirmation.

Afghanistan have long used Indian venues as their adopted home, having previously hosted matches in Lucknow, Dehradun and Greater Noida. However, they have never before faced India in a bilateral series on Indian turf, making this a significant departure from convention.

A Window Between Commitments

For India, the series occupies a narrow window in a packed international calendar. The second Test against Sri Lanka is scheduled to conclude on August 27, more than two weeks before the first T20I in Delhi. The Asian Games, which begin in Japan on September 24, start just one week after the third T20I, leaving the Indian squad with a tight turnaround.

The two sides met in June, when Afghanistan toured India for a one-off Test and three ODIs. India dominated that contest comprehensively, winning the Test by an innings and 300 runs inside three days in New Chandigarh before completing a 3-0 whitewash in the ODI leg.

Contrasting Form and Historical Record

India entered the series on the back of a difficult run in white-ball cricket, despite holding the T20 World Cup crown. Their recent T20I form has been patchy at best. A two-match series in Belfast ended in defeat to Ireland in late June, before a chastening 4-0 series loss in England, with one fixture washed out. They also went down 2-1 in the ODI series against the same opposition. India are currently in Zimbabwe for a three-match series.

Afghanistan, by contrast, have not played a T20I since the World Cup earlier this year in India, where they won two of their four matches but narrowly missed out on qualification for the Super Eight.

Historically, Afghanistan have never beaten India in T20Is, a record they will be eager to address in what is effectively a home fixture, despite the venue being a familiar one for their opponents.

The series also carries broader significance. For Afghanistan, hosting a major cricketing nation on Indian soil reinforces their unique cricketing relationship with India. For India, it provides valuable game time ahead of the Asian Games, even as they look to arrest a concerning slide in their limited-overs form.

                                               

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