Sony Sports Network has secured the television broadcast rights for India’s upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, scheduled to be held at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi. Global rights holder ITW Universe awarded the linear television property to Sony following discussions with competitors including JioStar and Zee Unite8, while FanCode holds the exclusive digital streaming rights.

Push to Reschedule for Ganesh Chaturthi

The three-match contest is officially slated for September 13, 15, and 17, with Afghanistan acting as the designated host at the neutral Indian venue. However, stakeholders have approached Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) CEO Naseeb Khan and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to adjust the itinerary so a fixture can be played on Monday, September 14, to coincide with the auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

ITW Universe founder Bhairav Shanth urged the ACB to implement the modest shift in dates, emphasizing the cultural resonance such a gesture would hold for fans.

“As a media rights and production partner deeply invested in the success of this series, ITW Universe respectfully requests the ACB to consider a modest but meaningful adjustment to the current schedule so that one of the three matches falls on Monday, 14 September 2026 — Ganesh Chaturthi,” Shanth wrote in a formal letter to ACB CEO Naseeb Khan.

“Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the most widely observed and emotionally significant festivals in India — a day of new beginnings, devotion and collective celebration. By offering to stage a match on this date, the Afghanistan Cricket Board would be making a thoughtful and gracious gesture that goes beyond the playing field. It would demonstrate respect for Indian culture and the sentiments of Indian cricket lovers, and reinforce the spirit of goodwill that underpins the BCCI–ACB relationship.”

Proposed alternative schedules include staging the matches across September 11, 13, and 14, or playing on September 13, 14, and wrapping up on either September 16 or 17.

Crucial Preparation Ahead of Asian Games

The series marks only the second bilateral T20I contest between India and Afghanistan, following their previous three-match encounter in January 2024. For the Indian contingent led by Shreyas Iyer, the games serve as vital match preparation ahead of the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where cricket will feature in the T20 format from September 24 to October 3.

The Asian Games squad announced by the BCCI features a blend of youth and international experience, including Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Jasprit Bumrah.