India has an advantage over Afghanistan in T20 series: match statistics

Although about eight months of 2026 have passed, the cricket excitement for the Indian team has not ended. From September to December, the Indian national team has planned to participate in several important competitions against teams such as Afghanistan, West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. Thus, the question arises about the number of international matches India is scheduled to play this year.

September: Matches against Afghanistan and West Indies

The Indian team's schedule in September will be very busy. First, the team will participate in the Asian Games, and then it will play three T20 International matches against Afghanistan. This will be followed by a series of three ODI matches against the West Indies, concluding on October 3rd.

October: T20 Series against West Indies and New Zealand

After the ODI series against the West Indies, India will play five more T20 International matches. This series will start at the end of September and conclude in October. After finishing the games with the West Indies, the Indian team will tour New Zealand, where it will play five T20 matches.

November: ODI and Test Series against New Zealand

In November, the Indian team will play a five-match ODI series against New Zealand. This will be the first ODI series between the two countries after four years. Additionally, two Test matches are scheduled. This series is of great importance for India's campaign in the Test World Cup.

December: Six Matches against Sri Lanka

At the end of the year, India will play six matches against Sri Lanka: three ODIs and three T20 Internationals. Thus, the Indian team's schedule remains packed even in December.

Total Number of Remaining Matches

The count shows that India is set to play only 29 matches: 3 T20s against Afghanistan; 3 ODIs and 5 T20s against the West Indies; 2 Tests, 5 T20s, and 5 ODIs against New Zealand; and also 3 ODIs and 3 T20s against Sri Lanka. It should be noted that if matches within the Asian Games are included, the total number of games for India will increase.

Detailed Schedule of Matches against Afghanistan

The first T20 will take place on September 13, 2026, in New Delhi; the second T20 on September 15, 2026, in New Delhi; the third T20 on September 17, 2026, in New Delhi.

India Tour of West Indies (September-October 2026)

The first ODI is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram; the second ODI on September 30, 2026, in Guwahati; the third ODI on October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh. The T20 series includes the first match on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, the second on October 9, 2026, in Ranchi, the third on October 11, 2026, in Indore, the fourth on October 14, 2026, in Hyderabad, and the fifth on October 17, 2026, in Bangalore.

India Tour of New Zealand (October-November 2026)

The T20 series begins with the first match on October 22 in Christchurch, followed by matches on October 24 in Christchurch, October 27 in Wellington, October 30 in Auckland, and November 1 in Hamilton. The ODI series will take place on November 4, 2026, at Eden Park in Auckland, November 7 in Wellington, November 10 at Seddon Park in Hamilton, November 13 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, and November 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The Test matches will be held from November 19–23 in Wellington and November 27–December 1 in Christchurch.

India Tour of Sri Lanka (December 2026)

The following matches are planned for December: the first ODI on December 13, 2026, in Delhi, the second ODI on December 16, 2026, in Bangalore, the third ODI on December 19, 2026, in Ahmedabad. The T20 series includes the first match on December 22, 2026, in Rajkot, the second on December 24, 2026, in Katak, and the third on December 27, 2026, in Pune.

A new squad has been announced for the Indian team for the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, which begins on September 13th. This series will take place at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, and an updated team under the guidance of Shreyas Iyer has been presented for it.

It is noteworthy that the squad entrusted to the BCCI differs significantly from the previous team that played against the West Indies. Comparing the two squads revealed about eight major changes.

The team management has focused both on providing opportunities to young players and on the return of experienced athletes. Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh, who rested during the visit to Zimbabwe, have returned to the team. Additionally, star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is also ready to return to the field after battling a knee injury during the trip to England.

However, the participation of Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, and Harshit Rana in the starting XI will depend on them receiving clearance based on physical fitness tests. The team will be led by Shreyas Iyer, and Tilak Verma will take on the duties of vice-captain. A young talent aged 13, batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi, has also been included in the squad, which is a significant step.

If we look at the previous T20 squad, players such as Rinku Singh, Suryansh Shede, Yash Thakur, Mayank Yadav, Ashok Sharma, Harsh Dubey, Prabhsimran Singh, and Prince Yadav did not secure a spot in the current series. Instead, a plan has been developed to counter Afghanistan using Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, and a combination of new fast bowlers.

The significance of these three matches, which will be held in Delhi from September 13th to 17th, is not limited to this series alone. This 15-man squad will represent India at the Asian Games, which will be held in Japan at the end of this month. Earlier, India achieved a convincing victory over Afghanistan in the Test and ODI series in June, so the new T20 brigade under Shreyas Iyer aims to maintain its dominant status.

The Indian team squad includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma [vice-captain], Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*. (Note: players whose names are marked with an asterisk will only be included in the team after passing the physical fitness test).

Following an impressive performance in the Test series against Sri Lanka, the Indian team is preparing for participation in the T20 series. Three T20 matches between India and Afghanistan are scheduled for next month, in September.

It is expected that the selection committee, led by chief selector Ajit Agarkar, will announce the Indian team composition by September 3rd. Various players may be included in the squad for the matches against Afghanistan.

The T20 series is set to begin on September 13th. This is good news for fans as all three games will be held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. All matches will start at 7:00 PM, which is a significant event for cricket fans in Delhi.

According to a report by the Times of India, selectors might opt for a squad that participated in the 2026 Asian Games. In this case, Shreyas Iyer could lead the team. Additionally, young players such as Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Tilak Verma are considered likely inclusions.

Furthermore, the mysterious spinner Varun Chakravarthy has reportedly recovered completely and may return to the T20 squad. Before selecting the squad, selectors must conduct a thorough check of the health status of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. Hardik and Nitish have long battled injuries, and their inclusion in the team is possible only upon full recovery.

India is currently facing a shortage of a quality fast-paced all-rounder. Although Shivam Dube was tested in this role, it did not yield the desired result. The absence of such a player complicates the utilization of additional attacking spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, disrupting the team's balance.