India likely to face Pakistan in Asian Games 2026:Men in Blues’ upcoming 12-month schedule; expected Bangladesh tour on card

The India national cricket team is preparing for an extremely busy international schedule over the next 12 months. Following their recent triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the team will take part in several tours and series across different countries. The side, currently led by Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is, could play additional matches in Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, apart from confirmed tours in England, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Japan, and New Zealand. India will also host several series at home during this period. With so many international commitments, the Board of Control for Cricket in India will need to carefully manage the team’s schedule and player workload in the coming months. Possible extra matches in Sri Lanka for flood relief India are already scheduled to tour the Sri Lanka national cricket team for two Test matches as part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP). However, the BCCI is also considering adding three T20 Internationals to the tour. The proposal reportedly came from Sri Lanka Cricket, which requested the additional games as a fundraiser for flood relief after Cyclone Ditwah caused major damage in the country last November. If approved, the T20I series is expected to take place before the two Test matches during the July–August window. England tour and possible Ireland series Before travelling to Sri Lanka, India will tour the England cricket team for a limited-overs series from July 1 to July 19. The tour will include three one-day Internationals (ODIs) and five T20 Internationals. There is also a possibility that India could stop in Ireland on the way to England. Discussions are underway between the BCCI and Cricket Ireland for a three-match T20I series in Dublin. A source confirmed that talks are ongoing and expressed confidence that the series will happen. India have previously helped Ireland by playing short series in 2018, 2022 and 2023. Home series against Afghanistan before England tour Before leaving for Europe, India will host the Afghanistan national cricket team at home. The series is expected to include one Test match and three ODIs, scheduled between June 6 and June 20. This home series will act as preparation for India before they begin their international travels. Busy September with multiple tours September could be one of the busiest months for Indian cricket. A three-match T20I series against Afghanistan is already scheduled in the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, India are also expected to tour the Bangladesh national cricket team for three ODIs and three T20Is. However, the series will depend on approval from the Government of India due to recent diplomatic tensions between the two countries. There are also discussions about a possible short tour to Zimbabwe for a three-match T20I series, although this has not yet been confirmed. Asian Games 2026 and West Indies series Another major event scheduled during this period is the 2026 Asian Games, which will take place in Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4. Cricket matches will be played in the T20 format, and India will enter the tournament as the defending gold medallists. Moreover, India is likely to face Pakistan again in the mega event. During the same time, West Indies cricket team are scheduled to tour India for three ODIs and five T20Is, a series expected to continue into October. This could lead to two different Indian squads playing simultaneously. Long tour of New Zealand in October India will then travel to the New Zealand national cricket team for a full tour starting October 18. The tour will include five ODIs, five T20Is, and two Test matches. Reports suggest that the number of ODIs was recently increased from three to five after discussions between the BCCI and New Zealand Cricket. Busy end to the year and big series ahead After returning from New Zealand in early December, India are expected to host Sri Lanka again for three ODIs and three T20Is. Following this series, the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be played in India during January–February 2027. Soon after that, attention will turn to the 20th season of the Indian Premier League, which is expected to run from March to May 2027, marking another exciting chapter in India’s packed cricket calendar.