India vs Afghanistan Live Score Updates, 1st T20I 2026
Catch all the live action and updates from the India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I match of the Friendship Cup on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The match begins at 7:00 PM IST at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Get details on squads, head-to-head records, broadcast information on Sony Sports Network and FanCode, and weather forecasts for this exciting clash.
New Delhi is buzzing as India prepares to host Afghanistan in the first T20 International of a three-match series, the Friendship Cup, this Sunday, September 13, 2026. The highly anticipated clash is scheduled to commence at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss slated for 7:00 PM IST. You can find India National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard here. The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi will serve as the battleground for all three encounters in the series, with Afghanistan being the designated home side despite playing on Indian soil due to ongoing security concerns in their own country. India vs Afghanistan Live Streaming Online and Free Telecast, 1st T20I 2026.
Under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, India will be keen to start the series on a winning note. Ibrahim Zadran will lead the Afghanistan contingent, aiming to challenge India's formidable T20I record against them.
Head-to-Head Dominance and Recent Form
India has historically dominated Afghanistan in the T20I format. Out of nine encounters between the two nations, India has emerged victorious in eight, with one match ending in a no-result. The no-result match was the gold-medal match of the men's cricket competition in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023, where India was awarded the gold medal due to higher seeding after persistent drizzle caused a washout.
| Teams | Matches Played | India Wins | Afghanistan Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India vs Afghanistan | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
India comes into this series with strong momentum, having recently swept Zimbabwe 3-0 in a T20I series in July 2026. Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was a standout performer in that series, scoring two half-centuries and earning the Player of the Series award. Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be seeking a change of fortunes after a challenging tour to India earlier this year in June 2026, where they lost a one-off Test by an innings and 300 runs and a three-match ODI series 3-0 without securing a single win.
Key Players and Squad Focus
All eyes will be on India's opening combination, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson vying for a spot alongside Abhishek Sharma. Skipper Shreyas Iyer will lead a strong Indian squad, with Tilak Varma as his vice-captain. The squad also includes Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah (returning from injury), and spin options like Axar Patel, Washington Sundar (also declared fit), Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi. Pace bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out due to injury and replaced by Yash Thakur. Delhi Weather Forecast and Rain Chances for India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I 2026.
For Afghanistan, captain Ibrahim Zadran will be crucial. Fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq returns to the national setup after recovering from a stress fracture, and the spin wizard Rashid Khan is also expected to play a pivotal role.
India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor ul Rahman, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Nangeyalia Kharoti
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2026 06:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
