India will look to seal the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan when the two teams meet in the second match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

India lead the series 1-0 after a convincing seven-wicket win in the first T20I. Afghanistan will need a much better performance to keep the series alive.
Afghanistan were in trouble early in the first T20I after losing five wickets for 43 runs inside the Power-play. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi then put the innings back on track with an 83-run partnership.

Omarzai remained unbeaten on 64 off 44 **** as Afghanistan finished with 156/8. However, the total was not enough against India's strong batting line-up.

Arshdeep Singh was India's best bowler, taking 3/9. Jasprit **** rah also made an impact on his return to international cricket by picking up an early wicket. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also took wickets as Afghanistan struggled to build momentum.
India made the chase look easy thanks to an explosive innings from Abhishek Sharma.

The left-handed opener smashed 82 off just 32 **** , hitting seven fours and seven sixes. Ishan Kishan also made a useful contribution with 42.

India reached 157/3 in only 13.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Afghanistan's biggest concern will be their top order.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck in the first over of the opening T20I. Afghanistan will need their top-order batters to give the team a stronger start and provide a platform for players such as Omarzai, Nabi and Rashid Khan.

The visitors have several match-winners in their squad, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Naveen-ul-Haq.

Captain Ibrahim Zadran, who is leading Afghanistan in his first series as full-time T20I captain, will hope his team can turn its individual talent into a more disciplined performance.
India also have some selection decisions to make despite their comfortable win in the first T20I.

Abhishek's 82 has strengthened his position at the top of the order, while Sanju Samson scored only 10 runs.

Ishan Kishan also scored 42, giving India another option in the batting line-up. Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could also be in contention after missing the first T20I.

India will also be without Harshit Rana, who has been ruled out after suffering a rectus femoris strain. Yash Thakur has joined the squad as his replacement.

A win on Tuesday will give India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Afghanistan, meanwhile, need a victory to take the series into a decider.

#first #lead #seven #need

India will begin their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in New Delhi on Sunday, with the team facing a selection call between young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and experienced wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson.

Sooryavanshi played in the first two T20Is during India's England tour before Samson returned to the playing XI for the final match. The team management now has another chance to ******* s both players ahead of the Asian Games in ******* an.
Samson and Abhishek Sharma have formed a more settled opening combination for India in T20Is. However, Sooryavanshi's attacking style gives the team another option at the top.

During Friday's net session, Samson appeared slightly more in control, while Sooryavanshi spent time facing Jasprit ******* rah and learning how to deal with movement off the surface.

The 15-year-old could enjoy the Afghanistan attack, with none of their bowlers matching ******* rah's quality. Afghanistan's pace could also suit Sooryavanshi's aggressive, stand-and-deliver style.

Samson's omission in England after three failures also raised questions, especially given his experience in the format.
India could also consider playing both Samson and Sooryavanshi if Ishan Kishan is ruled out.

Kishan had a back injury scare during Friday's net session. He comes into the series after a brilliant Duleep Trophy final, where he scored 270 and 80.

Kishan will be keen to play because T20Is remain the only format in which he is currently a regular for India.
The three-match series will give India's Asian Games-bound players valuable preparation against a strong Afghanistan side.

Afghanistan have a world-class spin attack featuring Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Facing them in three T20Is will be a major test for India's batters ahead of the Asian Games in ******* an.
When will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I be played?

The first T20I between India and Afghanistan will be played on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Where will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I be played?

The match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

What time will the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I start?

The first T20I will start at 7 PM IST on Sunday.

When will the toss take place?

The toss is expected to take place at around 6:30 PM IST, 30 minutes before the scheduled start of play.

Where can fans watch the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I on TV?

The match will be telecast live in India on the Sony Sports Network.

#played

India is all set to take on Afghanistan in the opening T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, September 13.
Shreyas Iyer's side looking to build momentum after a mixed white-ball summer that included series defeats in Ireland and England.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be hoping to avenge defeat in the one-off Test at Mullanpur earlier this year. Ibrahim Zadran's side has the perfectly volatile combination of a spin-heavy bowling attack and a batting lineup that's still trying to figure out their place.
With Jasprit **** rah and Washington Sundar also cleared just this week, India will be keen to prepare mentally for the upcoming Asian Games and New Zealand. The venue will also play a big part in the match.
Arun Jaitley Stadium has hosted only a handful of T20Is despite its status as one of India's most-used grounds across formats, and their most recent appearance produced one of the highest totals ever recorded there when India piled up 209 against Namibia in February 2026.

#september

India and Afghanistan start their three-match T20I series at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
Although Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) is hosting the series, the matches are being played in India as part of the arrangement between the two boards.
The series ends on September 17, coinciding with the beginning of the cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in ***** an beginning September 24.
India, with Shreyas Iyer as their captain, would like to start the series off on the right foot against Afghanistan, who would be led by Ibrahim Zadran.
The Men in Blue won the bilateral series against Afghanistan in June when they completed a 3-0 ODI clean sweep.

#t20i #jaitley

NEW DELHI: Social media has found a fun new way to bring the 1980s back, with AI turning modern-day pictures into vintage portraits. The trend has now reached the Indian cricket team, with several players enjoying a hilarious surprise ahead of their T20I series against Afghanistan in Delhi.
Two days before the series, the Indian players gathered at their hotel for a photo session. But before it began, they found a table filled with AI-generated pictures of themselves.

The portraits, featured in a video shared by the BCCI, showed the players in classic 1980s looks, complete with bell-bottom jeans, big sunglasses and retro hairstyles.

India allrounder Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma picked up the portraits and burst out laughing as they showed them to their teammates. Jasprit ****** rah also joined in the fun.

Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube checked out their retro pictures and appeared amused by their new 1980s avatars.
Ishan Kishan, who recently led East Zone to Duleep Trophy glory, fully embraced the retro look. He held up his AI-generated picture, sang and posed for the camera as his teammates enjoyed the moment.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi also broke into smiles after seeing their 1980s avatars.
India and Afghanistan will face each other in a three-match T20I series, starting Sunday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

The second and third T20Is will be played on Tuesday and Thursday at the same venue.

#portraits

Afghanistan are about to make history as they are for the first time, a team will technically host India on Indian soil, with all three matches scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Afghanistan have been playing their home international fixtures in India for several years, using venues in Lucknow, Dehradun and Greater Noida to host matches against various opponents. But they've never done it against India itself until now.
The series wraps up just ahead of the Asian Games, which kick off on September 24, giving the squad a final chance to settle combinations before heading to **** an.
India arrive with mixed white-ball form that doesn't quite match their status as reigning T20 World Cup champions. The problems began in late June with back-to-back T20I defeats to Ireland in Belfast.
England then handed India a 4-0 T20I series loss, and the ODIs followed with another setback, as India went down 2-1. The team was in Zimbabwe for another white-ball **** ignment, and they recovered some lost pride at Harare.

#India #series #white

India will play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan starting September 13.
However, there's something unusual about seeing Afghanistan listed as the home side on a scorecard at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The visitors are India, playing in their own capital city, against a team that is technically the host.
It looks strange at a glance, but The Sporting News breaks it down for you.
Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source

#afghanistan #sporting #t20i #september

NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ajinkya Rahane believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's time will come, but feels India should currently stick with the top-three combination that delivered the 2026 T20 World Cup ******* le, backing Sanju Samson to reclaim his place alongside Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.

Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped after a string of low scores on the tour of England. Sooryavanshi was subsequently handed his international debut in Manchester and also opened during the T20Is against Zimbabwe.

With Samson now recalled for the three-match home series against Afghanistan, beginning at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, Rahane believes the experienced batter should return to the top order.

"I feel the top three should be the same that played in the World Cup. Samson has done well, but he got dropped after two or three bad innings. I want him to get another chance. Abhishek and Ishan also did well for us," Rahane said in a video on his YouTube channel on Friday.

"Vaibhav will get his opportunities, and his time will come. But for now, I feel the top three should be Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan, who were our contributors in the World Cup," he added.
Rahane welcomed Samson's return while pointing to the batter's impact during India's World Cup-winning campaign.

"I am happy to see Sanju Samson back in the team. He was the 'Man of the Series' in the World Cup. It has been up and down, and things were happening to him that were not in his control. But he is a match-winner, and his return strengthens the team," Rahane said.

For Sooryavanshi, Rahane's message was one of patience and freedom. The 15-year-old has made a rapid rise through domestic and franchise cricket, but the former India batter believes the teenager should not overthink his early international career.

"I think he should just play his game right now. He should back the game that led him to come into the Indian team. It is a very early stage for him in his career and in international cricket," Rahane said.

"As of now, there is no need for him to think a lot, and he should be set free. His game will eventually change after two or three years, as much as he keeps playing. It will be important for him to maintain balance. Apart from cricket skills, it is important to stay balanced off the field. That will be a challenge for him."
Sooryavanshi has already provided plenty of evidence of his ability. During the Duleep Trophy, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in the competition, reaching the landmark at 15 years and 175 days.

He made 92 off 81 ******* for East Zone, reaching his fifty from just 42 deliveries and breaking a 57-year-old record previously held by Laxman Singh, who was 16 years and 23 days old when he scored his Duleep Trophy fifty in 1969.

Rahane believes the teenager's next challenge is not

The first T20I between India and Afghanistan in New Delhi will go ahead as scheduled on September 13 despite concerns over security arrangements in the national capital during the BRICS Summit.

The match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium had come under a cloud of uncertainty after the Delhi Police sought a change in the schedule because of the security requirements surrounding the high-profile summit. The Delhi District Cricket ****** ociation (DDCA), however, said on Thursday evening that there would be no change to the match date.

"India–Afghanistan 1st T20I on 13 September at Arun Jaitley Stadium will go ahead as scheduled. Following a meeting with Delhi Traffic Police, DDCA has been ****** ured of all necessary support and arrangements," the ****** ociation said in a social media post.
The Afghanistan-India series will consist of three T20Is, with all matches being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will run from September 13 to September 17.

India vs Afghanistan T20I schedule:
1st T20I: September 13, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
2nd T20I: September 15, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi
3rd T20I: September 17, 7:00 PM IST — New Delhi

#t20i #jaitley

New Delhi: A controversy is never far from Delhi cricket. As the third edition of the Delhi Premier League T20 comes to a close, Delhi and District Cricket ******* ociation (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley spoke to TOI on the pressing issues...

How has the DPL benefitted Delhi cricket so far?

DPL has been consistently throwing up names who are fetching good prices in the IPL. We expect a few more this year. But it has turned around the women's game altogether. The senior Delhi team won the women's national one-day tournament. The U-23 team has won once and finished runners-up once.

How does it impact the revenue?

All I can say is that the DDCA can now take care of the expenses for all the Delhi state teams across age-groups and genders throughout the year with the profit we make from this league.

There have been doubts cast on quality of players playing, especially with the Dev Chaudhary controversy...

DDCA, by principle, revisits every regulation of the league after each season. I feel for the boy for what he has to go through.

What's the plan with the new stadium?

We have identified two spots in Delhi. One is the landfill in Okhla and the other is near Badarpur. We are in the process of finalising the venue to build a stadium with 70-80k capacity. We are in talks with BCCI to come up with suggestions or a collaboration to create a state-of-the-art facility.

Many players avoid playing Ranji Trophy and just focus on T20 leagues...

That is something we have observed, especially with a few senior fast bowlers. We will keep a close watch on them this season. If they dodge Ranji Trophy, they will not be considered for Delhi in other formats.

#senior

Delhi Premier League 2026 schedule: Fixtures, score, format, squads and live streaming for DPL season 3 matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch

#premier

NEW DELHI: There was a time when Auqib Nabi didn't own a pair of bowling spikes.

For his first U-19 trial in Jammu & Kashmir, the fast bowler from Baramulla borrowed a pair from a friend. When he eventually earned selection, fate threw up another twist. The friend who had lent him the spikes didn't make the squad. Auqib borrowed another pair from him and played his entire first U-19 tournament in borrowed shoes.

Today, Auqib is making a name for himself with a skill that many fast bowlers spend years trying to master: the ability to swing the ball both ways. He has now earned his maiden India call-up, with the 29-year-old seamer from Jammu & Kashmir replacing the injured Jasprit ******* rah in India's Test squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.

Nabi has picked up 104 wickets over the last two Ranji Trophy seasons, virtually breaking the selection door down with his performances. He was also part of the India A squad that toured Sri Lanka recently, where he claimed six wickets in two First Class matches.
Yet, the road to the Indian dressing room wasn't built in fancy academies or elite fast-bowling programmes. It was shaped by a long journey, borrowed equipment and an obsession with learning.

"My parents are government school teachers. Initially, they wanted me to focus on studies, which was natural. Cricket wasn't something we had planned. A friend told me about the Under-19 trials. Until then, I didn't even know they were happening," Auqib had told reporters after picking up a five-wicket haul on the opening day of the Delhi vs Jammu & Kashmir Ranji Trophy match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in November 2025.

Like countless youngsters in Kashmir, his cricketing education began with tennis-ball matches. The transition to leather-ball cricket, however, brought a different challenge.
"The most basic thing a fast bowler needs is a turf wicket," he had said. "Baramulla had turf, but you couldn't bowl there wearing spikes. So I had to travel to Srinagar to practice."

The one-and-a-half-hour journey from Baramulla to Srinagar became part of his routine. Hours on the road simply to bowl a few overs on a proper surface. For many aspiring cricketers, inadequate facilities become a convenient excuse. Auqib never allowed himself that luxury.

"If you want to play for India, these things cannot become excuses. If you want it badly enough, you have to do it."
That philosophy continues to define him.

The philosophy kept motivating him day in and day out, but it was his obsession with learning that made him the bowler he is today.

"When he first joined the J&K team for the Buchi Babu Trophy in Salem in 2023, he could only bowl the outswinger. But he wanted to bowl both ways. So I started working on his inswing," P. Krishnakumar, Jammu & Kashmir's bowling coach, told TimesofIndia.com.

"He has a great wrist position, which is one of his biggest strengths," he said.
There were no shortcuts, and Nabi knew it. He started working on

Delhi Premier League 2026 schedule: Fixtures, score, format, squads and live streaming for DPL season 3 matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2026 takes place from July 31 to August 30, 2026.
Eight teams compete in a 44-match T20 tournament at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
It follows a league stage and playoffs before the final on August 30.
DPL 2026:Overview | Format | Schedule & scores | Standings table | Squads | Where to watch

#schedule #squads