# Afghanistan Cricket Board Deletes T20 Series Promo After Objection Over India Map Showing PoK

> The Afghanistan Cricket Board has removed a promotional video for its upcoming T20 series against India after Pakistan protested against a map depicting PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan within Indian territory.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Cricket · **Published:** 2026-09-09 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/cricket/india-ke-nakshe-men-darshaya-pok-vivada-barhate-hi-afghanistan-cricket-board-ne-dilita-kiya-t20-sirija-ka-promo-30206 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Afghanistan Cricket Board, India vs Afghanistan, T20 Series, Pakistan Cricket Board, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Map Controversy, PoK

A major geopolitical controversy erupted on the eve of the upcoming three-match T20 International series between India and Afghanistan after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) published a promotional video featuring an outline map of India that included Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan within Indian borders. Following strong objections raised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistani diplomatic channels, the ACB withdrew and deleted the promotional video from its official social media handles, shifting attention from sports to regional diplomacy.

## Promotional Video Release and the Disputed Map Graphic
The controversy began when the Afghanistan Cricket Board posted an official promotional video on its official X account on Sunday to build excitement for the upcoming bilateral T20 series against India. The video was specifically produced to highlight the deep-rooted historical friendship, cultural connections, and shared passion for cricket between the people of India and Afghanistan. Narrated around themes of solidarity and sporting brotherhood, the promotional campaign aimed to set an encouraging tone for the three-match series scheduled in Delhi.

However, a brief graphical segment within the video featured a geographic outline map of India. The displayed boundary explicitly contained Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) alongside Gilgit-Baltistan inside the line of Indian territory. As the video circulated across social media platforms, cricket supporters, analysts, and political observers quickly identified the cartographic detail. While Indian fans welcomed the inclusion of the territory as reflecting India's territorial perspective, Pakistani authorities reacted with sharp concern, viewing the graphic as a sensitive political statement embedded in sports media.

## Pakistani Diplomatic Escalation via Foreign Office
Taking serious exception to the map displayed in the promotional video, the Pakistan Cricket Board treated the development as a sensitive diplomatic issue rather than a routine media oversight. According to information surrounding the sequence of events, the PCB formally reported the issue to Pakistan's Foreign Office in Islamabad to express its formal concern over the video released by another International Cricket Council member board.

Pakistani officials held detailed internal consultations regarding the strategic and diplomatic options available to them. Reports suggested that Islamabad evaluated whether to escalate the matter to international forums or regional sports governance bodies. However, before any formal international complaint was officially submitted, the Afghanistan Cricket Board took decisive action by removing the post containing the disputed graphic from its social media channels. Despite the removal of the video, Pakistani officials expressed lingering dissatisfaction over the incident.

## Pre-existing Geopolitical Strains Between Kabul and Islamabad
The timing of this sports dispute is particularly significant because diplomatic relations between Kabul and Islamabad have been severely strained over recent months. Bilateral disagreements concerning border security management, border fencing, and disputes along the Durand Line have repeatedly led to diplomatic standoffs between the Afghan Taliban government and Pakistan.

Pakistan has consistently accused the Taliban-led administration in Kabul of allowing militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan territory, an allegation that Afghan authorities have strongly denied. The border regions have witnessed multiple incidents of armed cross-border skirmishes, artillery exchanges, and airstrikes in recent months. Against this background of ongoing military and political tension, a map graphic in a cricket promotional campaign quickly transcended a simple editing mistake and acquired substantial geopolitical weight.

## Afghanistan's Sovereign Foreign Policy and Strategic Relations with India
Geopolitical analysts view the incident within the broader context of Afghanistan's increasingly independent foreign policy stance. Over the past decade, bilateral cooperation between India and Afghanistan has expanded across infrastructure development, educational exchanges, and sports administration. Cricket, in particular, has served as a central pillar of soft-power engagement and mutual goodwill between the two nations.

Due to infrastructural constraints in their home country, the Afghanistan national cricket team has frequently designated Indian venues as their official home grounds for international competitions. Stadiums in Indian cities such as Greater Noida, Dehradun, and Lucknow have hosted multiple international bilateral series involving Afghanistan over the years. Given this long-standing sporting alliance, the ACB's promotional emphasis on Indo-Afghan friendship was expected, though the specific cartographic representation provoked acute alarm in Islamabad.

## Three-Match T20 Series Schedule at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium
The bilateral T20 series between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to take place from September 13 to September 17. All three fixtures of the series will be hosted at the historic Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The opening match of the series is set for September 13, followed by the second fixture on September 15, and the third and final match on September 17.

An important administrative aspect of the series is that the Afghanistan Cricket Board serves as the official host of the tournament. While Afghanistan retains full hosting rights, the entire series is being staged on Indian soil due to venue availability and logistical arrangements. The ACB has described the series as a significant milestone in strengthening cricketing bonds and expanding competitive exposure for its national team.

## Current Status and Potential Diplomatic Resolution
Following the swift escalation of the controversy, the Afghanistan Cricket Board completely removed the promotional video from its official X account. However, the ACB has not issued any formal public statement clarifying whether the inclusion of the map graphic was an accidental editing error or an intentional design choice.

With the video now deleted, sports observers suggest that the next phase of the controversy depends on whether Pakistan chooses to pursue the matter further through diplomatic channels. If Islamabad refrains from further official escalation, the controversy is expected to subside as public attention pivots back to the action on the cricket field. Nonetheless, the episode highlights how closely sports, cartography, and regional diplomacy remain intertwined in South Asia.

## What this means for you
Here is what the recent diplomatic controversy around the cricket promotional video means for fans and observers of the series.

- **Impact on Match Schedule:** All three T20 fixtures between India and Afghanistan will proceed as planned from September 13 to September 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The promotional map controversy has not caused any changes to match dates or venue arrangements.
- **Information for Match Attendees:** Spectators planning to watch the games live at the Arun Jaitley Stadium can expect ticketing and venue entry procedures to remain unchanged. Security measures and spectator access will follow standard operational protocols.
- **Broadcaster and Fan Interest:** The surrounding diplomatic friction has significantly heightened media spotlight on this bilateral series. Cricket followers across South Asia will be watching the upcoming fixtures with increased narrative interest.
- **Regional Sports Governance:** Tension between the Afghan and Pakistani cricket authorities could potentially influence administrative discussions during future multi-nation cricket forums. Future interactions between regional boards remain a key area of observation.

## Why this happened
The key factors and background conditions that led to the diplomatic row over the Afghanistan Cricket Board promo video include the following details.

- **Inclusion of Disputed Cartography:** The official promotional video released by the ACB displayed an outline map of India that contained Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan within Indian borders. This specific graphical presentation triggered immediate official objections from Pakistan.
- **Formal Diplomatic Escalation by Pakistan:** The Pakistan Cricket Board formally elevated the video controversy to Pakistan's Foreign Office. Pakistani authorities viewed the map graphic as a sensitive geopolitical issue rather than a minor production error.
- **Existing Geopolitical Strains:** Relations between Kabul and Islamabad were already under strain due to border enforcement disagreements and security cross-accusations regarding TTP militants. In such a fragile diplomatic environment, sports promotional content easily acquired political sensitivity.
- **Strategic Ties Between India and Afghanistan:** Afghanistan has maintained close diplomatic and sporting relations with India, frequently selecting Indian grounds as its host venues for international series. This close bilateral cooperation has frequently drawn cautious attention from Pakistani officials.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why did the Afghanistan Cricket Board delete the promotional video?
The video was removed after Pakistan objected to a map graphic that showed PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan within India's territorial boundaries.

### 2. When and where will the India vs Afghanistan T20 series take place?
The three-match T20 series will be played from September 13 to September 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

### 3. What are the exact dates for the three T20 matches?
The first match is scheduled for September 13, the second for September 15, and the third and final match for September 17.

### 4. Which cricket board is officially hosting the T20 series?
The Afghanistan Cricket Board is the official host of the series, even though all matches are being conducted at an Indian venue.

### 5. What action did the Pakistan Cricket Board take regarding the video?
The Pakistan Cricket Board reported the matter to Pakistan's Foreign Office to highlight their geopolitical concerns over the map graphic.

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