New Delhi, September 16, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
With the T20I series already secured, India will look to use the third and final match against Afghanistan to fine-tune their squad ahead of the Asian Games, with the Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting the contest on Thursday.
India have registered near-identical seven-wicket victories in the opening two matches, chasing targets of 157 and 160 respectively. Afghanistan have shown flashes of individual brilliance but have struggled to challenge the hosts across the two games.
The second T20I again followed a similar script. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a second successive duck before Ibrahim Zadran’s 37 steadied the Afghanistan innings. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan then added 48 runs for the sixth wicket to take the visitors to 159/8.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Arshdeep Singh claimed five wickets between them to restrict Afghanistan.
India’s chase was largely comfortable, with Sanju Samson leading the way with 57. Abhishek Sharma contributed 39, while Ishan Kishan remained unbeaten on 38 to complete the victory.
The result leaves India with some selection decisions to make for the series finale. Shreyas Iyer indicated after Tuesday’s win that changes could be considered, particularly with the team scheduled to travel to Japan for the Asian Games, which begin on September 19.
That could provide an opportunity for players who have been on the sidelines, including teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Series during India’s recent Zimbabwe T20I campaign but has not featured in the ongoing series. Samson, who returned after being rested in Zimbabwe, has responded with strong performances, while Abhishek has also contributed at the top of the order.
With Samson and Abhishek established in the format, India may have to weigh their options before making changes to the opening combination.
Ravi Bishnoi is also expected to retain his place after replacing the injured Varun Chakravarthy. Afghanistan, meanwhile, could consider a change in their pace attack, with Naveen-ul-Haq yet to feature despite being fit. Fazalhaq Farooqi has remained without a wicket in the series so far.
Conditions in Delhi could again favour the batters, with the short boundaries potentially setting up another high-scoring contest. Thunderstorms are forecast, while around 75 per cent cloud cover is expected, making the weather conditions an important factor before the start.
For India, the final T20I will provide an opportunity to assess their options and build momentum before the Asian Games. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will aim to finish the series with a stronger performance after two defeats.
AFG vs IND 3rd T20I: Match Details
When: Thursday, September 17, 7:30 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: Live on Sony Sports Ten 5 SD and HD channels. Live streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website.
India Squad
Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
Afghanistan Squad
Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq.
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