India National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline

The India national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline rivalry in international cricket has progressed into a fascinating contest during the past 15 years. The first match between these two teams took place at the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010, and both sides have gone on to play T20Is, ODIs, Tests and major ICC tournaments against each other. India, however, have not lost any of the senior men’s meetings between these two sides in the record books but there were numerous other matches that presented closely fought contests and signature performances.

Afghanistan have now established themselves as an international team and the rivalry has evolved rapidly. Some of the landmarks from this timeline include the Asia Cup tie in 2018, and the World Cup thriller later that year; a T20I Super Over in 2024 and this year’s bilateral series for 2026.

India National Cricket Team vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Timeline: Quick Overview

2010: First India vs Afghanistan International Match

India versus Afghanistan: the first senior men ‘s international teams met on 1 May 2010 in the ICC World Twenty20 at St Lucia.

Towards the end of their 20 overs, Afghanistan was 115/8. India easily chased down the target, scoring 116/3 to win by 7 wickets with overs in hand.

For Afghanistan, the match was a landmark moment as they were still settling into life on the world stage. India was to begin a protracted series of meetings towards their Asian neighbours.

2012: India Win Again in the T20 World Cup

The same two teams faced each other again in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20, held in Colombo.

India piled up 159/5 in the first innings, while Afghanistan fell for 136 all out. And thus, India clinched by 23 runs.

The encounter revealed a developing Afghanistan side, which is at least able to take on established teams but still succumbing to stronger oppositions in finishing the deal.

2014: First ODI Meeting

We saw the next major chapter at the Asia Cup in Bangladesh, 2014.

Batting first, Afghanistan were bundled out for 159. India cruised to the target in 20 overs at 160/2, winning by 8 wickets.

However, it was the first ODI between the two nations and that showed where the sides were at in statistics. However, Afghanistan’s pace in international cricket quickly yielded much tighter encounters.

2018: Afghanistan Play Their First Test

One of the most important moments in the India national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline came in June 2018.

It was Afghanistan’s first Test match to be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru against India. India mounted a commanding display to rack up 474 in their first innings.

Afghanistan were bowled out for scores of 109 and 103 in their two innings. Innings & 262 Runs (India)

The match was historic for Afghanistan as this was the first time they became a Test-playing country. It also marked the inaugural Test meeting between India and Afghanistan.

2018 Asia Cup: The First Tie

The teams produced one of the closest matches in their history later in 2018.

India and Afghanistan faced each other at the Super Four round of the Asia Cup in Dubai. Afghanistan: 252, India: 252 (match ended in a tie).

Afghanistan made for a memorable rivalry contest by taking India all the way to the final ball. One of their biggest results against the other.

2019 World Cup: A Dramatic ODI Finish

Another last-ball thriller between India and Afghanistan happened at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Set a target of 225, Afghanistan were dismissed for 213 in Southampton after India posted 224/8. India won by 11 runs.

The game was closer than plenty expected with Afghanistan hanging in until the final stages. The Indian bowling attack then wrapped up the match to give India yet another win in this fixture.

2021: India Return to T20 World Cup Action Against Afghanistan

The two sides met for the second time at the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

A batting effort led to a score of 210/2 being posted by India. Afghanistan managed to score 141/7, losing the match by 66 runs.

This game was especially significant because India’s batting was aggressive, while Afghanistan’s chase never matched the necessary scoring rate.

2022: Kohli’s Record-Setting Asia Cup Knock

Another major chapter unfolded in the 2022 Asia Cup.

In Dubai, India – 212/2, Afghanistan – 111/8 India won by 101 runs.

Virat Kohli has finally ended a more than three years long wait for an international ton, scoring 122 not out. Bhuvneshwar Kumar starred among the wickets as India’s total proved far too large for Afghanistan to chase down.

The win by 101 runs continues to be India’s largest margin victory over Afghanistan in the format.

2023: India vs Afghanistan at the ODI World Cup

India are coming off a resounding victory against Afghanistan on 11 October 2023 in Delhi at the Arun Jaitley Stadium at the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Afghanistan replied with 272/8 on the board, where captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai were the highest run-getters for the team.

India chased down the total comfortably, to end with 273/2 in just 35 overs, winning by 8 wickets.

Rohit Sharma led an impressive run chase with a century as the Indian batting line up completed the chase comfortably. This result ensured India continued its unbroken sequence of results against Afghanistan in men’s senior international cricket.

2024: First Bilateral T20I Series

January 2024: The first bilateral men’s T20I series took place as India played Afghanistan in an historic two-match series.

All three matches were held in India as part of the series.

1st T20I – Mohali

Afghanistan made 158/5, while India chased the target and reached 159/4.

India won by 6 wickets.

2nd T20I – Indore

India chased 173 and notched up the score of 173/4 after dismissing Afghanistan for just 172.

India again won by 6 wickets.

3rd T20I – Bengaluru

The title match turned into one of the most thrilling games in the history of their rivalry.

A Super Over was needed after the two sides each scored 212. India then triumphed over Sri Lanka in the Super Over to sweep the series 3-0.

This series was significant as it marked the first bilateral T20I mini-series between India and Afghanistan and provided three back-to-back match attempts to Afghanistan against India.

2024 T20 World Cup: India Win in the Super Eight

The two teams clashed just months later, at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Barbados.

India batted first and scored 181/8, while Afghanistan could only make 134 all out.

India won by 47 runs.

With his bowling, Jasprit Bumrah played a crucial role and as for batting, Suryakumar Yadav brought an economically beneficial innings to India. That result netted India a second title at a World Cup level

2026: Historic Test Victory in New Chandigarh

In June 2026, Afghanistan toured India for a Test which marked another chapter in the rivalry.

India thrashed the New Chandigarh one-off Test. India declared at 564/8; Afghanistan all out for 112 and 152.

India won by an innings and 300 runs, the largest victory for them against Afghanistan (by runs or innings) in this fixture.

It was a memorable outing for the young Indian players as well. Information about the 2026 Test Afghanistan played their first-ever match against India in a Test, at Bengaluru, back in 2018.

2026 ODI Series: India Complete a 3-0 Sweep

Afghanistan followed this Test with a three-match ODI series against India in June 2026.

1st ODI – Dharamsala

Afghanistan: 194, India: 195/3.

India won the 25-over “rain-shortened contest” by 7 wickets without DLS While Shubman Gill scored 84 not out, India chased it down with 13 balls to spare.

2nd ODI – Lucknow

The second ODI saw India affecting a far bigger rout.

India 402 vs Afghanistan – 232 all out.

India won by 170 runs.

With the result, India takes an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.

3rd ODI – Chennai

Afghanistan – 218 and India – 224/1 (27.4 overs)

Result: India won by 9 wickets (India winning series 3-0)

Shubman Gill became India’s top-scorer of the series with 238 runs, while Rahmanullah Gurbaz topped for Afghanistan with 148 runs in three ODI matches, as per Cricbuzz’s series stats.

September 2026: India Complete Another 3-0 T20I Sweep

The latest entry in the timeline was Afghanistan’s three-match T20I series against India, played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi in September 2026. The series was announced by the ICC as the first bilateral T20I series between the teams since Jan 2024.

India vs Afghanistan Head to Head Records

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Final Thoughts

The India national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline started with a T20I at the 2010 World Twenty20 and extends to cover all major international formats. Spanning India’s maiden Test series victory to the famous 2018 ODI tie, the all-time classic of a World Cup encounter in 2019, a Super Over in 2024 and complete domination in the form of a historic Test, ODI and T20I series win by Pakistan at home (and away), there have been plenty of landmarks from this fixture.

Given Afghanistan’s quest for progress, the contests are becoming ever more significant which is particularly the case in white-ball cricket. The senior men’s meetings mentioned above have continued an unbeaten run for India, while Afghanistan have carried on their learning experience against one of the world’s pre-eminent cricket nations.

The most recent was in September 2026 when India imposed a T20I whitewash – winning 3-0 at Delhi, after starting the year with an innings-and-300-runs win in a Test during their ODI series-deliver win.

Sources

• Cricbuzz – India vs Afghanistan 2026 Series
• ESPNcricinfo – India vs Afghanistan 2026 Test Match Report
• ICC – India vs Afghanistan 2026 T20I Series