The three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan could be played on revised dates, with the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) discussing a possible change to the schedule. However, an official decision on the matter is yet to be taken.
The series is currently scheduled to begin on September 13, followed by matches on September 15 and 17. The ACB has reportedly asked the BCCI to bring the series forward, with September 11, 13 and 14 being considered as possible new dates.
The proposed schedule would also include a match on September 14, the day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The ACB is understood to have cited requests from its stakeholders and believes that holding a game during the festival period could lead to higher television viewership and better crowd turnout.
All three matches are scheduled to be played at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. The series will be historic for Afghanistan as it will mark the first time the country officially hosts India in a bilateral series, although the matches will take place in India.
There is reportedly a possibility that the BCCI could accept the ACB’s request. India will have a window available between the end of their Sri Lanka Test series on August 27 and the beginning of the Asian Games on September 24. A proposed series against Bangladesh also appears unlikely to go ahead.
The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), which is responsible for hosting the matches, has said it has not received any information about a revised schedule so far.
India and Afghanistan recently played a Test and three-match ODI series in June. The upcoming T20I series will complete their bilateral meetings across all three formats.
