India looks to complete a series sweep against Afghanistan in the final T20I of the Friendship Cup at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. With a 2-0 lead, the hosts have dominated with both bat and ball, while Afghanistan remains in search of their first-ever T20I win over India.
Match Identity
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Afghanistan vs India, 3rd T20I |
| Series | Afghanistan tour of India (Friendship Cup) |
| Date | September 17, 2026 |
| Time | 7:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| Status | Scheduled |
Pitch and Weather Forecast
Pitch Report: The Arun Jaitley Stadium is a batting-friendly venue with short boundaries. Historical data shows chasing teams have won 9 of the last 14 T20Is here. While strokeplay is encouraged, spinners have historically taken 52% of the wickets due to dry Delhi conditions. A par score is expected to be between 180 and 190.
Weather Update: There is a significant 65% chance of thunderstorms and rain during the evening. This high risk of disruption may favor the side winning the toss and opting to bowl first, keeping DLS calculations in mind.
Probable Playing XIs
India
Sanju Samson (WK), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma (VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Afghanistan
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Fantasy Cricket Top Picks
- Sanju Samson (India): A high-impact opener coming off a 22-ball 57. His ability to exploit the powerplay makes him a primary selection.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy (India): An in-form all-rounder who claimed 3 wickets in the previous match and provides middle-order batting depth.
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): Afghanistan’s most consistent threat, having taken 3 wickets in the second T20I. He is also effective with the bat in the lower order.
- Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan): He remains the most reliable anchor for the Afghan top order in these conditions.
Suggested Fantasy XI
- Wicketkeeper: Sanju Samson (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Ibrahim Zadran
- All-rounders: Nitish Kumar Reddy (VC), Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai
- Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Naveen-ul-Haq
Availability & News
India’s Harshit Rana is unavailable due to a rectus femoris strain. Jasprit Bumrah is considered doubtful as the team management may opt for workload management with the series already clinched. In other news, the ICC has provisionally suspended former BPL officials Md Abdul Kayum Rashed and Md Amin Khan for anti-corruption breaches.
CricXtra Match Prediction
India is the favorite to win the match and secure a 3-0 series whitewash. Despite the high risk of rain, India’s superior batting depth and Rashid Khan being the only consistent threat from the Afghan bowling unit give the hosts a clear advantage. Afghanistan’s hopes rest on their top order maximizing the short boundaries and their spinners controlling the middle overs.
