New Delhi: Team India is likely to play a T20I series in Zimbabwe and Ireland this season as an action-packed 2026 calendar awaits the T20 World Cup winners. When the other big boards and teams are not willing to play in smaller nations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is taking steps to ensure the rise and participation of the smaller nations as well.
As reported by Cricbuzz, Indian team has a packed calendar in the next 12 months which will carry them in 2027, where the ODI World Cup awaits the T20 champions. Apart from Zimbabwe and Ireland, India will likely travel to Sri Lanka, the UAE, England and Bangladesh among some other nations in this calendar year.
BCCI considering request from SLC
The report also mentions that the Indian cricket board is considering a request from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to schedule three T20Is as a fundraiser for Sri Lanka’s flood relief. The island nation was hit by Cyclone Ditwah last November which led to a lot of devastation. The BCCI had tried arranging for a series back then but it could not be materialised due to an already-packed calendar.
Before the Sri Lanka tour, India will travel to England for three ODIs and five T20Is between July 1 and 19, with a small possibility of a stopover in Ireland for a short series. It is also being learnt that a three-match series in Dublin is also being explored between the BCCI and Cricket Ireland (CI). If the series with Ireland takes place, it will be held before the England tour and after the home series against Afghanistan which makes the month of June the most viable option for scheduling the series.
India’s packed 2026 schedule
Meanwhile, India will play a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in the UAE in September, along with a tour of Bangladesh for six white-ball matches. There is also a possibility of a visit to Zimbabwe in September but not confirmed as the West Indies are scheduled to visit India for a white-ball series.
Amid all the bilateral ties, 2026 Asian Games are scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Nagoya, Japan. As the Games would be played in T20 format so a possibility of the T20 squad playing in Japan and ODI squad taking on the West Indies seems to be the case. In October, India will reach New Zealand for a comprehensive tour and upon return, will play against Sri Lanka in a white-ball series.