India Cricket Schedule 2026: Complete Fixtures, T20 World Cup & Major Tours Revealed
The Indian men’s cricket team faces an action-packed 2026 calendar that promises everything supporters could dream of – a home T20 World Cup defence, crucial overseas battles, and a relentless schedule spanning three formats across multiple continents.
New Zealand Series Kicks Off Blockbuster Year
January sets the tone with New Zealand visiting Indian shores for an eight-match white-ball bonanza. Three ODIs across Vadodara, Rajkot and Indore provide the warm-up before five T20Is sweep through Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram. It’s the ideal preparation for what follows.
T20 World Cup 2026: India’s Title Defence Begins
The showpiece event arrives in February as India co-hosts the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka. Suryakumar Yadav’s squad launches their campaign against USA at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on February 7, before facing Namibia in Delhi, the Netherlands in Ahmedabad, and the tournament’s most anticipated clash – Pakistan in Colombo on February 15. Should India navigate through to the Super 8s and beyond, the journey concludes on March 8.
Challenging Overseas Assignments Await
The middle months bring serious tests of character. Afghanistan arrive in June for a Test and three ODIs, before England host India for five T20Is and three ODIs throughout July – featuring prestigious venues from Chester-le-Street to Lord’s. August sees a return to subcontinental conditions with two Tests in Sri Lanka.
The autumn segment proves equally demanding. After three T20Is in Afghanistan, West Indies tour India for eight white-ball matches, whilst the Asian Games in Japan offers T20 glory between September 19 and October 4. The Kiwis then welcome India back for a ten-match tour spanning all formats, before Sri Lanka conclude 2026 with six limited-overs fixtures on Indian soil in December.
This calendar represents modern cricket’s relentless nature – demanding versatility, depth and stamina across twelve months of world-class competition.
