Indian team lifts T20 World Cup 2026. Image Credits: AFP
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to announce India's T20 squad for the Afghanistan 3-match T20I series. In a historic move, the Afghanistan Cricket Team is set to host India in India for a 3-match T20I series in Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi.
The 3 matches will be played on September 13, September 15, and September 17 all at just one venue. While India has served Afghanistan's home base for a number of years, this will be the first time that the Afghans will host India.
Asian Games squad to be taken into consideration
Afghanistan T20 squad vs India- Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Noor Rahman (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq.
*Ijaz Ahmadzai, Shahidullah Kamal and Fareed Ahmad Malik have been added to the reserve pool for the series.
BCCI to announce India squad this week
While the BCCI has already named a star studded squad for the Asian Games 2026, there is no indication from the board that a relatively weak squad will be named for the Afghanistan series.
The Indian team will be involved in the Asian Games from September 28 from the knockout stages of the competition and regular captain Shreyas Iyer will be leading the side in the continental championship.
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As per a report from TOI journalist Sahil Malhotra, the BCCI is expected to announce a string squad for the T20I series against Afghanistan. Earlier, reports had emerged that the BCCI might send a B-String side for the Asian Games given the lack of facilities.
However, this was ruled out after the Olympic Council of Asia ruled out any changes to the submitted squads for Asian Games 2026. While all prominent names including Jasprit Bumrah were named in the squad, Hardik Pandya was the lone regular missing.
Hardik Pandya remains a point of contention
Earlier, reports had emerged that Hardik Pandya will be fit in time for the India vs Afghanistan T20Is. However, a niggle that he sustained while on recovery from earlier injury, has now put his participation in immense doubt.
India's T20 squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Which players can get a chance in the India vs Afghanistan T20Is?
Sahil Malhotra mentioned that a lot of players from the India squad for Asian Games are likely to feature in India's T20 squad vs Afghanistan. Off late, a lot of players from the Indian first team are on recovery program from multiple injuries.
While majority of these players remain on track for the Asian Games, BCCI would not like to risk a few given their fragile history. These names include Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy who have faced a prolonged injury hiatus.
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