IND vs AFG, 3rd T20I 2026 Toss Report and Playing XIs: Afghanistan Opt to Bowl; Yash Thakur Replaces Arshdeep Singh, No Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for India
Afghanistan has won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the 3rd T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 17, 2026. India made one change, bringing in Yash Thakur for Arshdeep Singh, while Afghanistan announced two changes to their playing XI. The series, officially termed the Friendship Cup, is already sealed by India, who lead 2-0.
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss in the third and final T20I against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium today and opted to bowl first, hoping to exploit early conditions. You can find India National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard here. With the series already sealed 2-0 by India, both teams have made changes, with India bringing in Yash Thakur for Arshdeep Singh, while Afghanistan announced two alterations to their playing XI. India vs Afghanistan Live Streaming Online and Free Telecast, 3rd T20I 2026
Toss and Team News
After losing the toss in the first two encounters, Ibrahim Zadran stated his team's intention to bowl first, acknowledging potential early support for the bowlers. 'We are going to bowl first. We lost the toss in the last two matches. There will be some support for the bowlers at the start,' Zadran said at the toss. He also revealed that Afghanistan has made 'two changes' to their lineup, brining in Gulbadin Naib and Noor Ahmad.
Indian captain Shreyas Iyer, who would have preferred to bat first, embraced the challenge. 'We would have batted first. It also gives us a fun challenge. It's important that we stick to the moment and not complicate things,' Iyer commented. Confirming the team composition, Iyer announced one change for India: 'Yash comes in for Arsh.' This confirms that young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was widely speculated to make his debut, will not feature in this opportunity.
Series Context and What's Next
India has dominated the series so far, securing comprehensive victories in the first two T20Is and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead. The first two games followed a strikingly similar pattern, with India winning the toss, putting Afghanistan in, and then chasing down below-par totals comfortably, showcasing their batting depth and aggressive intent in the powerplay. This final match, officially termed the Friendship Cup, serves as an opportunity for both sides to fine-tune their strategies and give valuable game time to bench players ahead of the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Japan, which begin on September 19. Delhi Weather Forecast and Rain Chances for India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I 2026.
Playing XIs
India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Noor ul Rahman, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai
Cricket fans in India can catch the live telecast of the 3rd T20I on the Sony Sports Network (Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 5) and stream it live on the FanCode app and website.
As the third T20I gets underway at 7:30 PM IST, both teams will look to conclude the series on a positive note, with India aiming for a clean sweep and Afghanistan striving for their maiden victory against the Men in Blue.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2026 07:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).