Days after confirming T20I dates vs India, Afghanistan mulling change of schedule
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has opened discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over a possible change to the schedule of the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, with September 14 being considered for one of the matches.
Sources familiar with the development have told India Today that the ACB has asked the BCCI if either the first or second T20I could be moved to September 14, which falls on Ganesh Chaturthi. The proposal comes just days after the dates for the series were confirmed, with all three matches scheduled to be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
The series is currently scheduled to begin on September 13, followed by the second T20I on September 15 and the third on September 17. The proposed change would therefore see either the opening match or the second game brought forward or moved to September 14, giving the Afghanistan series a festive backdrop in the Indian capital.
AFGHANISTAN VS INDIA
The proposed schedule currently stands as:
- 1st T20I: September 13
- 2nd T20I: September 15
- 3rd T20I: September 17
The ACB’s request would mean either the September 13 or September 15 fixture is shifted to September 14. Any such change would need to be agreed upon by the BCCI before the schedule can be altered.
The three-match series will be Afghanistan’s designated home fixtures under the Future Tours Programme, despite all three matches being played in India. The arrangement continues Afghanistan’s practice of hosting international cricket in India when circumstances prevent matches from being staged at home.
BANGLADESH TOUR STILL UNCLEAR
The Afghanistan series also adds another layer to India’s already complicated September calendar.
India’s proposed white-ball tour of Bangladesh remains uncertain, with the two sides yet to resolve the issues surrounding the postponed series. Bangladesh have continued to express hope that the tour can be revived, but any fresh proposal would require the BCCI to consult the Indian government.
For now, the Afghanistan T20Is remain the confirmed fixtures for India in that mid-September window.
The ACB’s latest request is therefore not a change to the number of matches, but an attempt to move one of the fixtures to September 14, potentially putting an India-Afghanistan T20I on Ganesh Chaturthi.
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