India will face Afghanistan in the third and final T20I in Delhi on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as the hosts are already guaranteed a 2-0 lead. India will try to complete a series whitewash, but Afghanistan will have one last chance to avoid a clean sweep. The match will take place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
India Have Series in the Bag
India have presented two convincing performances to take a 2-0 advantage. The second T20I saw India chase Afghanistan’s 159-run target with seven wickets in hand, with Sanju Samson hitting 57 off 22 balls.
With the series already secured, captain Shreyas Iyer has said that players who have been waiting on the sidelines may get an opportunity in the final game. That makes the third T20I particularly interesting from a selection perspective.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi finally get his chance?
As for now, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's appearance is likely to be one of the most important questions ahead of the match: whether 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will finally make his debut in this series.
Sooryavanshi was selected in India's squad but was not selected in the playing XI for the first two games. Sanju Samson opened with Abhishek Sharma for both games, and Samson scored 57 in the second T20I.
But as India has already won the series, the final match would be a perfect opportunity to give Sooryavanshi valuable international experience. Indian Express and Moneycontrol have both given him a strong chance for the third match.
Key Moments to Watch
The opening combination will be one of the main talking points. If Sooryavanshi comes in, India could change their top order and give the youngster another opportunity to demonstrate his attacking style.
The battle between Afghanistan’s middle order and India’s spin attack will also be critical. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Azmatullah Omarzai are key players in the middle order of Afghanistan, while Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi are others.
Afghanistan's Last Chance
For Afghanistan, the objective is simple: avoid a 3-0 series defeat.
The visitors have shown some signs of competitiveness but have been unable to bring pressure on India in both games. Their batting will have to produce a better collective effort, and their bowlers should be able to stop India’s aggressive top order from finding themselves in comfortable partnerships.
What could change for India?
The final T20I may be more about experimentation than survival for India. With the Asian Games coming, giving fringe players match practice could help the team assess its options.
Iyer's comments after the second T20I suggested that players sitting out could get opportunities, strengthening the possibility of changes to India's XI.
