Afghanistan are set to host India in a historic three-match T20I series in New Delhi ahead of this year’s Asian Games, marking the first time the Afghan side will officially host India despite the matches being played on Indian soil. According to Cricinfo, the fixtures are currently expected to take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 13, 15 and 17, although the schedule has yet to be formally confirmed.
The series is expected to slot into India’s international calendar after the team’s Test tour of Sri Lanka and before the start of the Asian Games later in September, giving both sides valuable preparation ahead of the multi-sport event.
The arrangement is another example of Afghanistan continuing to stage its home internationals outside the country, having previously hosted matches in Greater Noida, Dehradun and Lucknow. However, this will be the first occasion on which India will officially be the visiting side while playing in its own country.
Bangladesh tour could reshape schedule
While the series is progressing as planned, the final dates remain dependent on another piece of India’s international schedule. According to Cricbuzz’s journalist Vijay Tagore, any revival of India’s proposed white-ball tour of Bangladesh could require the Afghanistan series to be pushed back by a few days.
Bangladesh is understood to be targeting a September 1-13 window for its six-match series against India, creating a potential clash with the provisional dates for the Afghanistan fixtures. Even so, there is limited flexibility in the calendar, with the Asian Games beginning on September 24 and India’s home series against the West Indies scheduled to start shortly afterwards.
Historic hosting arrangement
The decision to stage the series in Delhi follows discussions over possible venues, with the United Arab Emirates initially among the options before both boards settled on India.
Bhairav Shanth, Co-founder of ITW Universe, told Cricbuzz, “Our understanding is that there is some sort of agreement between the ACB and the BCCI for the matches, and they will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. We will handle the media and marketing rights, while the ACB will handle the match-day logistics and operations.”
He added, “For the first time Afghanistan will be hosting India.”
Broadcast rights differ from India’s home fixtures
Although the matches will be played in India, Afghanistan will be the designated host, meaning the series will fall outside India’s usual home international broadcast arrangements.
FanCode has secured the digital rights, while the television rights remain available. ITW Universe is overseeing the media and marketing rights on behalf of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, with the board itself responsible for match-day operations.
The series would also be the latest meeting between the two sides following Afghanistan’s tour of India earlier this year, when India swept the visitors in a one-off Test and a three-match ODI series.
