India will face Afghanistan in the opening match of their three-match T20I series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13. Afghanistan are the official hosts for the series, and India will play as the designated visiting side despite using familiar conditions in the Indian capital.
Shreyas Iyer will lead the Indian squad against an Afghanistan side captained by Ibrahim Zadran. India have several quality spin options, while Afghanistan have match-winners such as Rashid Khan and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Both teams will aim to start the series on a positive note.
India defeated Afghanistan by 47 runs in their last T20I meeting during the Super Eight stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. The match took place at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 20, 2024.
India, after winning the toss, posted 181/8 in their 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav led the scoring with a quick 53 off 28 balls, while Hardik Pandya added a valuable 32. Afghanistan struggled in the chase and were bowled out for 134, with Azmatullah Omarzai top-scoring with 26.
Jasprit Bumrah produced an outstanding spell, taking 3/7 in four overs, while Arshdeep Singh also claimed three wickets. India’s bowlers kept Afghanistan under pressure throughout the chase to secure a comfortable 47-run victory.
IND vs AFG Match Preview & Recent Form
India have dominated Afghanistan in T20Is, winning eight of their nine previous meetings, with one match ending without a result. Shreyas Iyer’s side will be confident of extending that record in the series opener.
Ishan Kishan is in excellent form after scoring 270 runs off 334 balls in the Duleep Trophy final. He could give India an aggressive option at the top of the order and put pressure on the Afghanistan fast bowlers from the start.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz recently scored 71 against Ireland and crossed the 4,500-run mark in international cricket. He will provide the attacking intent at the top, while Ibrahim Zadran can anchor the innings through the middle overs.
Rashid Khan is also in strong form after producing two consecutive Player-of-the-Match performances against Ireland. He scored an unbeaten 37 in one game and also claimed three wickets for 44 runs. The leg-spinner can influence the contest with both bat and ball.
IND vs AFG Live Streaming, Live Telecast: Where To Watch 1st T20I?
Fans in India can watch the live telecast of the first India vs Afghanistan T20I on the Sony Sports Network. The match will be available on Sony Sports Ten 5 SD and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD.
For online viewing, FanCode holds the exclusive digital streaming rights for the three-match T20I series in India. Fans can stream the first T20I through the FanCode app and website, with coverage also available on supported connected TV devices.
IND vs AFG Pitch Report: How Will Arun Jaitley Stadium Play?
The Arun Jaitley Stadium generally offers a good batting surface in T20 cricket, with its short boundaries making it favourable for power hitters. However, the surface can slow down as the innings progresses, bringing spinners and slower deliveries into play.
The ground staff had a limited preparation window after the Delhi Premier League concluded on August 30. Rain also interrupted Afghanistan’s early training sessions in New Delhi, which could leave some moisture on the surface and help fast bowlers in the opening overs.
Teams chasing have enjoyed a slight advantage at the venue. With the average first-innings score around 149 across 20 international matches, the captain winning the toss could prefer to bowl first and make use of the evening conditions while chasing.
Arun Jaitley Stadium T20 Stats
Total Matches: 20
Won Batting First: 6
Won Bowling First: 14
Average 1st Innings Score: 149
Average 2nd Innings Score: 136
Highest Team Total: 221/9 (India vs Bangladesh)
Lowest Team Total: 116 (Namibia vs India)
Highest Score Chased: 212/3 (South Africa vs India)
Lowest Score Defended: 96/7 (India Women vs Pakistan Women)
Highest Individual Score: 73* (Angelo Mathews, Sri Lanka vs India, 2017)
Best Bowling Figures: 5/35 (Junaid Siddique, UAE vs Canada, 2026)
IND vs AFG Weather Forecast & Rain Threat at Arun Jaitley Stadium
Weather conditions in New Delhi will remain hot and humid during the match. Temperatures are expected to stay around 30°C around the evening start. High humidity could make conditions physically demanding for both teams.
There is a chance of rain around 7:00 PM IST, which could cause interruptions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. If the match is shortened, aggressive batters could become even more important.
High humidity could also lead to heavy dew during the second innings. A wet ball can make it harder for spinners to grip the ball, which could make bowling first the preferred option after winning the toss.
IND vs AFG Predicted Playing 11 Today
India Predicted XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Afghanistan Predicted XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Ibrahim Zadran (c), Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
IND vs AFG Key Player Battles to Watch
Abhishek Sharma vs Fazalhaq Farooqi:
Abhishek Sharma will look to attack from the first over, while Fazalhaq Farooqi can trouble him with his left-arm swing and movement. Farooqi will target the stumps and try to make the most of the new-ball conditions before Abhishek settles in.
Ishan Kishan vs Rashid Khan:
Ishan Kishan will look to take on Rashid Khan during the middle overs. Rashid remains Afghanistan’s biggest wicket-taking threat and can use his quick googlies and changes of pace to challenge the left-hander. Kishan has the ability to attack spin bowlers.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Arshdeep Singh:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz will look to make the most of the powerplay and attack India’s pacers. Arshdeep Singh can trouble him with movement early in the innings and will need to maintain tight lines to prevent Gurbaz from finding regular boundaries.
IND vs AFG Key Players to Watch
India: Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Also read: Duleep Trophy 2026: 5 uncapped stars who could play for India in future
