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India have room to experiment after sealing the series against Afghanistan, but accommodating Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in their playing 11 for today’s third T20 (T20I) requires a difficult call: resting Sanju Samson or Abhishek Sharma, or reshuffling the top order by leaving out Ishan Kishan.
Shreyas Iyer’s side enters the final match at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi with an unassailable 2-0 lead after successive seven-wicket victories. With the Asian Games beginning in Japan on September 19, the contest offers India an opportunity to give their reserves match practice before their gold medal defence.
Iyer has indicated that changes are possible, putting Sooryavanshi’s inclusion at the centre of the selection discussion.
“We want all of them to get used to the wicket and the conditions and also get some practice. So, it would be a nice game to give opportunities to the players, especially who have been sitting out, and also change a little bit in the combination as well,” Iyer said after Tuesday’s victory.
Kishan rest could create room for Sooryavanshi
Resting Kishan offers a practical route to including Sooryavanshi while retaining both Samson and Abhishek in the playing 11. Kishan joined the national squad after captaining East Zone to the Duleep Trophy title, giving the management a workload consideration alongside the competition for places.
Samson has kept wicket throughout the series, so leaving Kishan out would not require a change behind the stumps. It would, however, require a batting-order adjustment if Sooryavanshi opens, with Samson or Abhishek moving to No. 3.
Kishan’s form makes the decision difficult. He scored 42 in the first match and an unbeaten 38 in the second, helping India complete both chases comfortably.
Samson and Abhishek strengthen their claims
Samson’s 57 off 22 balls on Tuesday has strengthened his case to retain his opening role. His innings contained seven fours and four sixes, following a score of 10 in the first match.
Abhishek has been equally influential, making 82 off 32 balls in the opener and 39 off 19 in the second game. Together, they added 88 for the first wicket on Tuesday as India chased 160 in 14.5 overs.
Sooryavanshi made his international debut during the England tour in July when Samson was struggling for runs. With both incumbent openers now contributing, his return would require the management to balance individual rhythm against opportunities for the bench.
Resting either Samson or Abhishek would allow a direct swap at the top and preserve Kishan’s position at No. 3. Resting Kishan would accommodate all three opening options in the same side, at the cost of changing one player’s role.
Middle order needs time before Asian Games
India’s dominant top order has left limited work for Iyer and Tilak Varma, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube are yet to bat in the series. Giving those players a longer innings is another consideration as India prepare for Japan.
Reddy has already provided encouragement with the ball. His three wickets for 24 runs in the second T20I helped restrict Afghanistan to 159 for eight and eased concerns over India’s additional bowling options. His ability to contribute in both disciplines matters as India develop cover for Hardik Pandya.
Ravi Bishnoi, who replaced the injured Varun Chakaravarthy, is likely to get another opportunity after taking one for 32 on Tuesday. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh have led the attack effectively, while Washington Sundar and Yash Thakur offer further rotation options if India decide to make changes beyond the batting group.
Afghanistan target a stronger batting performance
Afghanistan’s immediate task is to avoid a clean sweep and build confidence before their own Asian Games campaign. Totals of 156 for eight and 159 for eight have given their bowlers too little to defend against India’s aggressive batting.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and captain Ibrahim Zadran need to negotiate Bumrah and Arshdeep more effectively in the powerplay, while the middle order must build on any platform they provide. Delhi’s short boundaries make sustained scoring especially important.
Zadran has identified the need to lift Afghanistan’s totals beyond 200.
“We thought about the things that how to improve that 150-160 to 200 plus. So we need to bring that intent to the team...we should go with the right intent to score, 200 plus,” he said.
“I'm pretty sure we will improve that area if you want to beat, biggest team in international stage.”
Rashid Khan took all three Indian wickets in the second match, but Afghanistan need greater support around him to prevent another rapid chase.
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I probable playing 11
India: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
India vs Afghanistan head-to-head record in T20Is
India remain unbeaten against Afghanistan in T20Is, with 10 victories in 11 meetings when the Super Over win is included. One match ended without a result.
| Result | Matches |
| Matches played | 11 |
| India wins, including one Super Over victory | 10 |
| Afghanistan wins | 0 |
| No result | 1 |
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I: Date, venue and toss time
| Match detail | Information |
| Date | Thursday, September 17, 2026 |
| Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi |
| Toss | Expected at 7 pm IST |
| Match starts | 7:30 pm IST |
| Series position | India lead 2-0 |
| Designated hosts | Afghanistan |
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I live telecast and streaming
Sony Sports Network will televise the match in India. Sony Ten 5 HD/SD to live telecast IND vs AFG in English language. Fans can watch the live stream on the FanCode app and website with a subscription.
India vs Afghanistan T20I squads
India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Thakur. Varun Chakaravarthy, named in the original squad, has been ruled out through injury.
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Gulbadin Naib, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor ul Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Sediqullah Atal, Rashid Khan, Darwish Rasooli, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Naveen-ul-Haq and Abdullah Ahmadzai.
