India vs Afghanistan T20 Schedule Change Requested
Afghanistan Cricket Board seeks a schedule change for the India-Afghanistan T20 series, citing the potential crowd advantage on Ganesh Chaturthi.
India vs Afghanistan T20 Schedule Change Requested
New Delhi: The India-Afghanistan T20I series could see a change in its schedule after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) reportedly requested a modification soon after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the fixtures.
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The three-match T20I series is currently scheduled to be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with the matches set to take place on September 13, 15 and 17. However, Afghanistan wants one of the matches to be played on September 14, which coincides with Ganesh Chaturthi.
ACB Wants One Match on September 14
According to the proposed change, either the September 13 or September 15 fixture could be moved so that one match is played on September 14. If the schedule is revised, the three matches could potentially be held on September 13, 14 and 17.
The reason behind the request is linked to Ganesh Chaturthi. September 14 is expected to be a holiday for many people, which could potentially result in a larger crowd attending the match at the Delhi stadium.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board is therefore understood to be keen on taking advantage of the holiday and creating a better atmosphere around the series.
BCCI Has Already Announced the Fixtures
The BCCI officially announced the three-match India-Afghanistan T20I series through its official social media channels. As per the original schedule, the first T20I will be played on September 13, followed by the second match on September 15 and the third on September 17.
Afghanistan will host the series, with all three matches scheduled to be played in Delhi.
Any change to the dates, however, will depend on discussions between the concerned cricket boards and the necessary confirmation from the authorities.
Important Series Ahead of Asian Games
The series is expected to be particularly important for Team India as the Indian side is set to participate in the Asian Games. India could potentially face Afghanistan during the competition, making the T20I series an important opportunity for the players to prepare for the tournament.
The matches could also provide the Indian team with valuable practice and allow the management to assess players and combinations ahead of the major multi-sport event.
India-Bangladesh Series Unlikely
The announcement of the India-Afghanistan T20I schedule has also reduced the possibility of the postponed India-Bangladesh series taking place in the same period.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board had earlier announced a series involving three ODIs and three T20Is, which was expected to be played during August-September.
However, the series was postponed after the BCCI reportedly decided against sending the Indian team to Bangladesh due to security concerns. The series, originally scheduled for 2025, was subsequently pushed back.
