Days after the schedule announcement for the India vs Afghanistan three-match T20I series, multiple reports claim that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is looking for a possible change to it.
According to the reports, the ACB has started discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the matter. As per the current schedule, Afghanistan will play the three T20Is in India on September 13, 15 and 17. All three games will take place at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium, with Afghanistan being the official hosts.
Bangladesh are reportedly looking to shift the first or the second T20I to September 14.
Speaking on the series earlier, BCCI President Mithun Manhas said, “The BCCI remains committed to supporting the growth of cricket in Afghanistan and providing its players with opportunities to compete at the highest level. Bilateral cricket is an important part of this, as it allows teams to play regularly against quality opposition and gain valuable experience. We welcome the Afghanistan Cricket Board to India for this series and look forward to working closely with them to make it a successful one. We believe there is scope to do more together and will continue to support Afghanistan cricket while strengthening the relationship between the two cricketing nations.”
Meanwhile, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, “The BCCI is pleased to support the Afghanistan Cricket Board in hosting this T20I series in India. The India-Afghanistan cricketing rivalry has produced some thrilling encounters over the years, with both teams boasting quality cricketers. Afghanistan’s players are also quite popular among fans in India, which is a reflection of the strong bond that has developed between the two cricketing nations. India hosting Afghanistan for their historic first Test in 2018 was another significant milestone in this journey, and since then, we have continued to see regular bilateral engagements between the two teams.”
The upcoming series will add another chapter to the growing cricketing relationship between the two nations, according to the BCCI.
Afghanistan most recently toured India for a three-match ODI series in June, while the two sides also played a three-match T20I series in January 2024.