India's Bangladesh Tour To Be Replaced By White-Ball Series Vs Sri Lanka: Report
The BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket are reportedly discussing a bilateral series in mid-August, featuring 3 ODIs and as many T20Is.
As India's white-ball tour of Bangladesh has been postponed, discussions are underway between the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket for a bilateral series in mid-August. India were supposed to travel to Bangladesh for a series comprising 3 T20Is and as many ODIs. However, the Indian cricket board confirmed last week that the tour shall take place in September 2026 as the decision has been made due to hectic international FTPs.
As reported by Sri Lanka's newswire.lk, the men in blue will fly to the island nation to play white-ball cricket. It added that the BCCI and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) are actively exploring the logistics and feasibility of a short series. The proposed series is expected to feature three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is), giving both sides valuable match practice ahead of their respective future assignments.
Adding to the window of availability, the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which was originally slated to take place between July and August, has also been postponed. The tournament's rescheduling has further cleared Sri Lanka's domestic calendar, making space for international fixtures.
The postponement of Bangladesh has led to a re-evaluation of available windows for bilateral series. On the other hand, Sri Lanka are scheduled to travel to Zimbabwe for a bilateral series starting August 29. That makes the mid-August window — possibly around the second and third weeks — the only viable period to host India without a scheduling clash.
India's previous tour of Sri Lanka – in 2024 – marked the beginning of Gautam Gambhir's coaching tenure. The visitors clinched the T20I series before the hosts bounced back to thump India in the 3-match series 2-0.
Though an official announcement is still awaited, fans could soon be treated to an unexpected but thrilling contest if negotiations materialise. An announcement is expected once the logistical and broadcast-related aspects are ironed out.
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