New Delhi: For the first time in their cricketing history, Afghanistan will host India in an international series this year. But the venue will be the national capital of India. Plans are in the works for Afghanistan to host three T20Is against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in September, TOI has learned.The official announcement is awaited, but the matches are scheduled to be played on September 13, 16 and 19. Afghanistan tour India for a one-off Test and three ODIs starting June 6.TOI understands that the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has contacted the Indian Cricket Board (ICB).BCCIFor a return visit. BCCI and ACB have good relations. BCCI is helping other boards like Ireland, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe by sending Indian teams to play series there to increase the financial resources of these boards.“BCCI mediated between ACB Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) for the availability of home base for Afghanistan for the series.Afghanistan has been playing its home games in India and UAE for the past decade due to ongoing geopolitical issues in Afghanistan. Earlier, Afghanistan hosted Ireland for a series in Greater Noida in 2017 and Bangladesh for a T20I series in Dehradun in 2018. They shifted their base to the UAE in September 2024 before scheduling a Test match against a full-strength New Zealand team in Greater Noida. Two days before the Test, the match was abandoned without a ball due to a bad outfield after a day of rain. Afghanistan played their next home series in Sharjah.“The itinerary has been shared with India’s national selection committee as they have to select a 15-man T20 squad for the Asian Games at the end of September. The cricket event in the Asian Games is scheduled to start from September 23. The selectors will select the team accordingly,” a BCCI source said.
