India to host Sri Lanka for 5-match Women’s T20I series:Bilateral series set to begin on 21 December ahead of WPL 2026 season; 1st T20I will be held in Visakhapatnam

The Indian women’s cricket team is set to return to international action next month as they host Sri Lanka for a five-match T20I series. This will be India’s first international assignment since winning the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 on November 2 in Navi Mumbai. The series is expected to play an important role in helping the team prepare for the busy year ahead, including the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. According to the schedule shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday, November 28, the series will be played across two cities. The first two T20Is will take place at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on December 21 and 23. The action will then move to Thiruvananthapuram, where the Greenfield International Stadium will host the last three matches on December 26, 28 and 30. In an official release, the BCCI said: “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announces the schedule for the upcoming IDFC FIRST Bank Women’s T20I series as India hosts Sri Lanka for a five-match contest next month. The series will begin in Visakhapatnam before moving to Thiruvananthapuram for the remaining fixtures.” India’s build-up for WPL 2026 after the Sri Lanka series After the Sri Lanka series, Indian players will shift their focus to the 2026 edition of the Women’s Premier League. WPL 2026 is scheduled to be played from January 9 to February 5 in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara. The tournament will serve as another key platform for players to stay in rhythm ahead of the T20 World Cup. Preparing for the T20 World Cup 2026 starts for India The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held in England from June 15 to July 6 across seven venues. A total of 12 teams will participate in the 10th edition of the tournament. After lifting their maiden ODI World Cup trophy earlier this year, India will be aiming to carry forward their momentum and target their first-ever T20 World Cup title next year.