At first glance, it sounds surreal. This September, Afghanistan will host India in a T20I series.

The three-match encounter, to be held in Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, will create history. However, despite being on Indian soil, Afghanistan will be the ‘home’ side for this triangular meet, which will be a first-of-its-kind in the annals of international cricket.

In fact, the very idea of ​​the game plan underscores the rise and rise of Afghanistan’s cricket and their incredible association with the BCCI.

A Home Series Away From Home: Afghanistan

For over a decade now, Afghanistan has struggled to host international cricket matches in their own country due to security and infrastructural issues.

As a result, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has been forced to host their home fixtures overseas.

India has played a major role in this regard as the BCCI has provided the ACB with stadiums, infrastructure and training facilities ever since 2015.
While Afghanistan have hosted a number of Test matches and One Day Internationals at the BCCI’s venues in Greater Noida, Dehradun and Lucknow, the Indian team has never toured the country as the away side.

However, this September, India will become the first country to tour Afghanistan as the visiting team, despite the matches being held in Delhi.

Why Delhi?

The three T20Is are scheduled to be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, with the dates provisionally set as:
September 13 – T20I 1
September 15 – T20I 2
September 17 – T20I 3

The scheduling has not been officially confirmed yet, but it has already generated international intrigue due to the novelty of playing an away series in India, where the matches will be held under the supervision of Afghanistan, responsible for the organization and commercialization, and where India will act as the away team.

More Than Just a Cricket Series

The series is a testament to the growing relationships between the BCCI and the Afghanistan Cricket Board, as India has been one of the most supportive cricket-playing nations toward the growth of the Afghan team, both by allowing them to use facilities within the country for matches and by hosting test matches against them, despite the lack of an official home venue for the Afghan national team.

The series represents more than just the matches themselves. It is part of a broader trend in India’s cricketing ties with Afghanistan, which began when Afghanistan gained Full Membership in the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2017.

In this regard, it may be said that without the support of the BCCI, Afghanistan’s national cricket team would not have been able to achieve what it has today.