Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are in talks to change the schedule of next month’s three-match T20I series, with one option being a fixture on September 14 which is the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. According to reports from Cricbuzz, the dates of the series can be changed. The series is currently scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. All three matches are a part of Afghanistan’s Future Tours Programme and will be treated as home games for the ACB even though they are being played in India. This is due to a common arrangement in recent years due to logistical and security reason
The ACB has approached the BCCI with a request to shift either the opening match or the second game to September 14. This move is aimed at giving the series a festive flavour and potentially bring in larger crowds on what is expected to be a holiday in several parts of the country. Ganesh Chaturthi falls on a Monday this year and organisers believe the occasion could boost attendance at the Delhi stadium. No final decision has been announced yet as the BCCI’s approval is required before any change can be confirmed and it remains unclear which of the existing dates would be adjusted if the proposal goes through.
Afghanistan to host India in India for the first time ever
The series itself carries significance apart from the schedule. This will be the first time Afghanistan will officially host India in a bilateral contest under the ACB’s banner. The two sides last met in a T20I series in January 2024 which was won by India and recently played a Test and three ODIs in India in June 2026. The September window for this series also ends any realistic chance of India’s proposed white-ball tour of Bangladesh going ahead. Plans for three ODIs and three T20Is in Bangladesh in early September had already been complicated by diplomatic and scheduling issues but the confirmation of the Afghanistan fixtures means that Bangladesh ODIs will not be played.
The Indian T20I side will use the three matches as preparation ahead of the Asian Games cricket competition which begins later in September in Japan. The team management are expected to use the series to fine-tune combinations and give players more game time in the shortest format. As of now, the original dates of September 13, 15 and 17 remain in place. Fans and broadcasters are waiting for further clarity from both boards on whether one of those matches will in fact be moved on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi.
