India and Afghanistan will meet in an unusual three-match T20I series in September 2026: Afghanistan will officially be the home team, but every match will be played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. For cricket followers using Cricbet99, the arrangement may initially sound contradictory, but it reflects Afghanistan’s established approach to staging international home fixtures outside its own borders. The Afghanistan Cricket Board and BCCI have jointly confirmed matches on September 13, 15 and 17.
Why Is Afghanistan the Official Host?
In international cricket, the designated home team does not always have to play within its own country.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board is responsible for organising this bilateral series, which is why Afghanistan is officially classified as the host even though the matches will take place in India. The ACB confirmed that the series forms part of Afghanistan’s Future Tours Programme and described it as the first bilateral India-Afghanistan event to be hosted by the Afghan board.
For fans checking the schedule through Cricbet99 Login, the important distinction is:
- Afghanistan is the administrative home side.
- India is the visiting team for the series.
- Delhi is the neutral-in-practice venue chosen to stage the matches.
- The ACB remains the host cricket board.
This is why scorecards and official schedules can list Afghanistan first despite the games being played in India.
Why Aren’t the Matches Being Played in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan have regularly staged international home fixtures outside the country.
Reuters reports that international sport has not fully resumed in Afghanistan because of continuing security concerns following the Taliban takeover in 2021. As a result, Afghanistan have largely used the UAE and India as alternative bases for international home cricket.
ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf also confirmed that Afghanistan have hosted home fixtures in both India and the UAE in recent years. He said India was considered an appropriate setting because of the importance and scale of this particular series.
For Cricbet99 Com readers, the Delhi arrangement is therefore not simply about convenience. It continues an established model that allows Afghanistan to stage official international cricket while remaining the designated host.
Why Was Delhi Selected?
All three games will take place at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium.
The BCCI has committed to supporting the Afghanistan Cricket Board in staging the series, while the Delhi and District Cricket Association will provide the venue and facilities. DDCA president Rohan Jaitley said Delhi was pleased to welcome both teams and give local supporters another opportunity to watch international cricket.
Delhi offers several practical advantages:
- Established international-standard facilities
- Familiar logistical arrangements for both boards
- Strong interest in India-Afghanistan cricket
- A single venue for all three matches
- Easier operational planning for a short series
For users following cricket through Cricbet99 Online Betting content, another useful point is that all three games being staged at one ground may create greater focus on how teams adapt to the same conditions across the series.
Full India vs Afghanistan T20I Schedule
The schedule officially confirmed by both cricket boards is:
- 1st T20I: September 13, 2026, Delhi
- 2nd T20I: September 15, 2026, Delhi
- 3rd T20I: September 17, 2026, Delhi
Earlier reports carried different provisional dates, but the September 13, 15 and 17 schedule is now the confirmed version.
That is important for Cricbet99 Betting Site readers following fixtures because the official announcement supersedes the tentative calendars circulated earlier in the year.
Why Is This Series Historically Significant?
The series represents another important step in Afghanistan and India’s expanding cricket relationship.
India hosted Afghanistan’s historic first Test in Bengaluru in 2018. The countries then played a three-match T20I series in January 2024, while Afghanistan toured India again in June 2026 for Test and ODI cricket.
What makes September different is the hosting arrangement.
The ACB says this will be the first bilateral series between the two countries in which Afghanistan officially acts as the host board.
For Cricbet99 users, that makes the Delhi series more than another set of T20 fixtures. It represents a new stage in Afghanistan’s bilateral cricket development.
What Does the Series Mean for Afghanistan?
Hosting India is commercially and competitively important for Afghanistan.
The ACB believes the series can create opportunities in cricketing, technical and commercial areas while strengthening cooperation with the BCCI.
Playing India also gives Afghanistan another opportunity to test themselves against high-quality T20 opposition while operating in conditions that many of their leading players already know well from cricket in India.
What Does It Mean for India?
India will technically be playing an away series without leaving the country.
That unusual situation reduces travel demands while still giving the team another three-match international contest. It also continues a busy bilateral period between the two sides after their June 2026 meetings.
For Cricbet99 Login’ followers, the unusual home-away designation should not affect the fundamental cricket challenge. India will still face an Afghanistan side with considerable white-ball experience and familiarity with subcontinental conditions.
Conclusion
Afghanistan will “host” India in Delhi because hosting status in international cricket is determined by the organising board, not simply by the physical location of the stadium.
The ACB is officially organising the September series, while the BCCI and DDCA are supporting its staging at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium. Afghanistan’s history of holding home fixtures in India and the UAE makes the arrangement less unusual than it first appears.
For Cricbet99 Com followers, September 13, 15 and 17 will therefore bring an unusual scenario: India playing three T20Is in Delhi while officially being the visiting team.
FAQs
Why is Afghanistan hosting India in Delhi?
Afghanistan is the designated host because the ACB is organising the bilateral series. The board regularly stages home fixtures outside Afghanistan, including in India and the UAE.
When will the India vs Afghanistan T20Is be played?
The three matches are scheduled for September 13, September 15 and September 17, 2026.
Where will all three matches take place?
Every match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi.
Is India officially the away team?
Yes. Afghanistan is the official host, which means India will technically be the visiting side despite all three matches taking place in Delhi.
Is this Afghanistan’s first bilateral series hosting India?
Yes. The ACB says this is the first bilateral event between Afghanistan and India officially hosted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board.