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IND vs AFG 3rd T20I: Vaibhav Suryavanshi Set for Possible India Debut; Rashid Khan Nears 200 Wickets

Posted on 17th Sep 2026 11:12 am by rohit kumar

All eyes will be on 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi as India take on Afghanistan in the third and final T20I at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST.

 

India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after winning both the opening games by seven wickets. With the series secured, India captain Shreyas Iyer has indicated that players who have not featured yet could get an opportunity in the final match. That puts Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the spotlight for a potential international debut.

 

Vaibhav Suryavanshi India Debut on the Cards?

 

Vaibhav Suryavanshi was included in India's squad for the Afghanistan T20I series, but he has not played either of the first two matches. The BCCI has listed the 15-year-old in the squad for all three T20Is in Delhi.

 

With India already leading 2-0, the final game provides an opportunity to give players on the bench valuable match experience.

 

Iyer's comments after the second T20I further raised the possibility of changes to the playing XI. The India captain said the team wanted players to get accustomed to the conditions and gain match practice.

 

A debut for Vaibhav would also give India an opportunity to assess another opening option ahead of the Asian Games, where squad combinations will be closely watched.

 

Why Could India Give Vaibhav a Chance?

 

There are several factors behind the speculation surrounding Vaibhav's possible debut:

 

Series already won: India have an unassailable 2-0 lead.

Bench-strength testing: The final T20I offers an opportunity to give squad members playing time.

Asian Games preparation: Players could benefit from additional match practice before the tournament.

Opening options: Vaibhav could provide another option alongside established openers such as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

 

However, his inclusion in the playing XI will only be confirmed at the toss.

 

Rashid Khan Four Wickets Away From 200

 

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has another major milestone in sight.

 

Rashid has taken 196 wickets in 117 T20I matches and needs four more wickets to reach 200 in men's T20 internationals. Reaching the mark would make him the first cricketer to reach 200 wickets in T20I cricket.

 

Rashid has taken three wickets in the first two matches of the series. He also contributed with the bat in the second T20I, scoring 28 runs, although Afghanistan ultimately lost the match by seven wickets.

 

Abhishek Sharma Leads India's Run-Scorers

 

Abhishek Sharma has been India's leading run-scorer in the series so far.

 

The left-handed opener has scored 121 runs in two matches, including a blistering 82 in the first T20I and 39 in the second. He has maintained a strike rate of more than 237 across the two games.

 

Sanju Samson also made a major contribution in the second T20I, smashing 57 off 22 balls as India chased down Afghanistan's 159/8 in only 14.5 overs.

 

Arshdeep Singh Leads India's Bowling Charts

 

Among India's bowlers, Arshdeep Singh has taken five wickets in two matches, making him the leading wicket-taker for India in the series so far.

 

Jasprit Bumrah has also made an impact with the ball, while Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed a career-best 3/24 in the second T20I. India restricted Afghanistan to 159/8 before completing the chase with 31 balls to spare.

 

Afghanistan Look for Changes Ahead of Final T20I

 

Afghanistan will be looking to avoid a clean sweep after losing both matches in Delhi.

 

Azmatullah Omarzai is currently Afghanistan's leading run-scorer in the series, with 75 runs in two matches. His unbeaten 64 in the opening T20I remains his best score in the series.

 

The Afghanistan team could also assess its bowling combination, particularly the balance between its spin options and pace attack. The fitness of Naveen-ul-Haq could be another factor in determining the final XI.

 

Rashid Khan, meanwhile, remains central to Afghanistan's plans as he chases the historic 200-wicket milestone.

 

India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20I: Match Details

Detail                                             Information

Match                              India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I

Date                                               September 17, 2026

Venue                                 Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Start time                                             7:30 PM IST

Series score                                 India lead 2-0

India's leading run-scorer       Abhishek Sharma – 121 runs

India's leading wicket-taker   Arshdeep Singh – 5 wickets

Rashid Khan's T20I wickets                         196

 

The third T20I will conclude the series before India turn their attention to the upcoming Asian Games.

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