Afghanistan vs India T20 2026 Squad Players List: Teams and Updates
The Afghanistan vs India T20 2026 squad players list shows the players chosen for the September three‑match series in New Delhi. Both teams named 15‑member squads with India replacing a player before the match.
For fans looking at the team names the key point is the competition. These lists belong to the September 2026 bilateral T20I series, not the T20 World Cup or a separate Asian Games squad.
Below you will find both player lists, leadership details, Afghanistan reserves and India replacement update. This guide also explains why a confirmed squad must be read differently from a match playing XI.
Afghanistan vs India T20 2026 Squad Players List: Series Overview
Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that the three matches would be played on 13, 15 and 17 September 2026 all at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi. Afghanistan announced its squad on 24 August while BCCI published India updated selection on 10 September.
The tables below use those announcements. This keeps player information tied to the event and accounts for India pre‑series change.
India Squad for Afghanistan T20Is 2026
Shreyas Iyer was named captain and Tilak Varma vice‑captain. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan were designated wicketkeepers in BCCI updated 15‑member squad.
| No. | Player | Official Designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreyas Iyer | Captain |
| 2 | Abhishek Sharma | Squad member |
| 3 | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Squad member |
| 4 | Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper |
| 5 | Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper |
| 6 | Tilak Varma | Vice‑captain |
| 7 | Shivam Dube | Squad member |
| 8 | Nitish Kumar Reddy | Squad member |
| 9 | Axar Patel | Squad member |
| 10 | Washington Sundar | Squad member |
| 11 | Varun Chakaravarthy | Squad member |
| 12 | Ravi Bishnoi | Squad member |
| 13 | Jasprit Bumrah | Squad member |
| 14 | Arshdeep Singh | Squad member |
| 15 | Yash Thakur | Squad member |
Yash Thakur Replaced Harshit Rana
BCCI confirmed that Yash Thakur replaced Harshit Rana after Rana sustained a rectus femoris strain during a match simulation on 7 September. Consequently Yash appears in updated list above.
This is an example of why original announcement is not always enough. An article showing Harshit Rana without mentioning replacement would miss selection update.
Afghanistan Squad for India T20Is 2026
Afghanistan selected the following 15‑player squad, with Ibrahim Zadran as captain. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Noor Rahman were designated wicketkeepers.
| No. | Player | Official Designation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ibrahim Zadran | Captain |
| 2 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper |
| 3 | Noor Rahman | Wicketkeeper |
| 4 | Sediqullah Atal | Squad member |
| 5 | Darwish Rasooli | Squad member |
| 6 | Azmatullah Omarzai | Squad member |
| 7 | Gulbadin Naib | Squad member |
| 8 | Mohammad Nabi | Squad member |
| 9 | Rashid Khan | Squad member |
| 10 | Nangyal Kharoti | Squad member |
| 11 | Noor Ahmad | Squad member |
| 12 | Mujeeb Ur Rahman | Squad member |
| 13 | Fazal Haq Farooqi | Squad member |
| 14 | Abdullah Ahmadzai | Squad member |
| 15 | Naveen‑ul‑Haq | Squad member |
Afghanistan Reserve Players
ACB also named Ijaz Ahmadzai Shahidullah Kamal and Fareed Ahmad Malik in reserve pool. These players should be listed separately from squad rather than included in its 15‑player total.
Afghanistan’s Main Selection Updates
Ibrahim Zadran’s Captaincy
The series marked Ibrahim Zadran’s assignment as Afghanistan full‑time T20I captain according to official announcement. Readers should therefore use captain named for this series of copying leadership details from older tournament.
Naveen‑ul‑Haq’s Return
Naveen‑ul‑Haq returned after recovering from right‑shoulder stress fracture. ICC identified his return as addition to Afghanistan pace options.
Noor Rahman’s Inclusion
Noor Rahman was uncapped when selected as wicketkeeper. His inclusion followed performances in cricket and Shpageeza Cricket League. These details describe his status at selection than assuming whether he subsequently appeared in a match.
Match Schedule, for the September Series
The official series announcement listed the following fixtures:
| Match | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st T20I | 13 September 2026 | Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, New Delhi |
| 2nd T20I | 15 September 2026 | Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, New Delhi |
| 3rd T20I | 17 September 2026 | Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, New Delhi |
These are the announced fixtures for the series. Match results and individual scorecards should be checked separately when researching what happened during play.
What the Player List Tells You
The squad announcement tells who is available for selection. It also shows leadership and wicketkeeping designations where the board provides them.
However the squad announcement does not set the batting order the opening partnership or which bowling combination will appear in every match. Those decisions belong to match selections.
For that reason the tables use designations instead of presenting assumed match roles. A player listed as a member may perform several jobs depending on the combination chosen.
Confirmed Squad vs Playing XI
A confirmed squad and a confirmed playing XI answer questions.
The squad tells you who was selected for the series. The playing XI tells you which eleven players represented the team in a match.
A predicted XI is an estimate. It should always be labelled clearly even if it contains names from the official squad.
When checking a lineup look for the match number and date. The team combination from the T20I does not automatically apply to the second or third.
How to Find the Correct Team Information
Start with the board’s announcement for the competition. Then check for replacement notices published before or during the series.
For matches an official scorecard is the most useful record of the players who actually participated. It can also clarify who kept wicket and the order in which batters appeared.
Avoid combining a squad with a World Cup list simply because both were announced in 2026. The opponent, competition and publication date all matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who captained India against Afghanistan in this series?
Shreyas Iyer was the captain named in India’s updated squad.
Who captained Afghanistan?
Ibrahim Zadran led the announced Afghanistan squad.
How many players were selected by each team?
Both main squads contained 15 players. Afghanistan also named three reserves separately.
Was Harshit Rana in India’s updated squad?
No. Yash Thakur replaced him in the 10 September update.
Was Rashid Khan included?
Yes. Rashid Khan was included in Afghanistan’s squad.
Were these the playing XIs?
No. These are series squads. Each match required an eleven-player selection.
Conclusion
The Afghanistan vs India T20 2026 squad players list for the September series featured Shreyas Iyer leading India and Ibrahim Zadran leading Afghanistan. India’s updated selection included Yash Thakur while Afghanistan named a reserve pool. Use these squads to understand the series selections and check scorecards, for the confirmed match lineups.
