India will host Afghanistan for a short bilateral cricket series in June 2026, featuring a one-off Test match followed by a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series. The tour will mark only the second Test encounter between the two sides in international cricket.
India vs Afghanistan 2026 Series Schedule
The series will begin with a one-off Test match at the newly developed stadium in New Chandigarh from June 6 to June 10. After the red-ball fixture, the teams will shift focus to white-ball cricket for three ODIs across different venues in India.
Match schedule:
- One-off Test: June 6–10—New Chandigarh
- 1st ODI: June 14—Dharamsala
- 2nd ODI: June 17—Lucknow
- 3rd ODI: June 20—Chennai
Only the Second Test Between India and Afghanistan
The upcoming test will be just the second between India and Afghanistan. Their first Test meeting came in June 2018 in Bengaluru, where India recorded a massive victory by an innings and 262 runs.
Interestingly, the match in New Chandigarh will also become only the second Test played in India during the month of June. The previous June Test was also against Afghanistan in 2018.
However, the match will not count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle, making it a standalone Test contest.
First Bilateral ODI Series Between the Teams
While India and Afghanistan have faced each other multiple times in ICC tournaments and continental competitions such as the Asia Cup and ICC Cricket World Cup, they have never played a bilateral ODI series.
The three ODIs scheduled in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai will therefore mark the first-ever bilateral ODI series between the two nations.
Across formats, the two teams last met during the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Series to Begin Shortly After IPL 2026
The India vs. Afghanistan series will begin just days after the conclusion of the 2026 Indian Premier League season. The IPL 2026 final is scheduled for May 31, meaning players from both sides could transition quickly from franchise cricket to international action.
Busy International Calendar for Both Teams
For India, the Afghanistan series will serve as their first international assignment after the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Soon after the series concludes, India is scheduled to travel to England for a white-ball tour featuring five T20 Internationals and three ODIs from July 1 to July 19.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, will arrive in India following a home series against Sri Lanka. They are set to host Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates for three T20Is and three ODIs shortly after the T20 World Cup ends.
Growing Cricket Rivalry
Although Afghanistan is relatively new to Test cricket, its encounters with India have steadily gained attention in global cricket. The June 2026 tour provides another opportunity for Afghanistan to test themselves against one of the strongest sides in world cricket while also strengthening bilateral ties between the two boards.
