Afghanistan will look to finish their tour of India on a positive note when the two sides meet in the third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Thursday, September 17.

India have already secured the three-match series with convincing victories in the opening two games and hold an unassailable 2-0 lead. For Afghanistan, the final encounter represents an opportunity to respond and avoid a series whitewash.

Afghanistan looking for answers

Afghanistan have struggled to put India under sustained pressure during the first two T20Is.

They posted 156/8 in the opening match before India completed the chase with seven wickets remaining. The second match followed a similar pattern: Afghanistan reached 159/8, but India chased the target in only 14.5 overs to win by seven wickets.

One area Afghanistan may look to strengthen is their pace attack.

Naveen-ul-Haq’s availability and match fitness will therefore be an important talking point ahead of the final game. His experience, variations and ability to operate at different stages of a T20 innings could give Afghanistan another option against India’s aggressive batting line-up.

Fazalhaq Farooqi remains another important part of Afghanistan’s pace attack, while captain Rashid Khan and the other spin options will again have significant roles.

Time for Afghanistan’s key players to step up

Afghanistan possess plenty of individual talent, but they have yet to consistently turn that quality into match-winning performances during this series.

Azmatullah Omarzai has been among the players capable of providing Afghanistan with momentum, and giving important players greater responsibility could be one way of changing their approach.

At the top of the order, Afghanistan will also want more from their established batters. A strong start could be crucial against an Indian side that has controlled both matches so far.

Afghanistan’s challenge will be to combine that batting improvement with a disciplined bowling performance against India’s powerful line-up.

Will India test their bench strength?

With the series already secured, India have the opportunity to experiment in the final T20I.

Players who have spent time on the sidelines could be given an opportunity as India assess the depth of their squad.

Among the possibilities is young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while Yash Thakur and Washington Sundar could also come into consideration depending on the combination India choose.

India may also use the match to test a different balance between their batting and bowling resources rather than simply repeating the formula that delivered victories in the first two games.

India have dominated the series

India’s strength has been evident with both bat and ball.

Afghanistan were restricted to totals below 160 in each of the first two matches, while India’s batters made both run chases look comfortable.

In the second T20I, Sanju Samson scored 57 from just 22 deliveries, helping India race towards the target. Abhishek Sharma also contributed 39, while Nitish Kumar Reddy impressed with the ball by taking three wickets.

Afghanistan will need a considerably stronger all-round performance if they are to change the pattern of the series.

Match details

Match: India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I
Series: Afghanistan Tour of India 2026
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Start: 7:30 PM IST

What Afghanistan need to improve

The final match gives Afghanistan another opportunity to experiment with their combinations and make better use of their strongest players.

Getting more impact from the top order, using their bowling resources effectively and finding ways to disrupt India’s aggressive batting approach will all be important.

For India, meanwhile, the pressure of winning the series has already been removed. That gives the hosts freedom to test players and combinations while still pursuing a 3-0 series result.

For Afghanistan, victory in Delhi would provide a much-needed positive ending to a difficult series.

Source: ESPNcricinfo and additional match information
Adapted and rewritten for Afghan Atalan