Although about eight months of 2026 have passed, the cricket excitement for the Indian team has not ended. From September to December, the Indian national team has planned to participate in several important competitions against teams such as Afghanistan, West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. Thus, the question arises about the number of international matches India is scheduled to play this year.
September: Matches against Afghanistan and West Indies
The Indian team's schedule in September will be very busy. First, the team will participate in the Asian Games, and then it will play three T20 International matches against Afghanistan. This will be followed by a series of three ODI matches against the West Indies, concluding on October 3rd.
October: T20 Series against West Indies and New Zealand
After the ODI series against the West Indies, India will play five more T20 International matches. This series will start at the end of September and conclude in October. After finishing the games with the West Indies, the Indian team will tour New Zealand, where it will play five T20 matches.
November: ODI and Test Series against New Zealand
In November, the Indian team will play a five-match ODI series against New Zealand. This will be the first ODI series between the two countries after four years. Additionally, two Test matches are scheduled. This series is of great importance for India's campaign in the Test World Cup.
December: Six Matches against Sri Lanka
At the end of the year, India will play six matches against Sri Lanka: three ODIs and three T20 Internationals. Thus, the Indian team's schedule remains packed even in December.
Total Number of Remaining Matches
The count shows that India is set to play only 29 matches: 3 T20s against Afghanistan; 3 ODIs and 5 T20s against the West Indies; 2 Tests, 5 T20s, and 5 ODIs against New Zealand; and also 3 ODIs and 3 T20s against Sri Lanka. It should be noted that if matches within the Asian Games are included, the total number of games for India will increase.
Detailed Schedule of Matches against Afghanistan
The first T20 will take place on September 13, 2026, in New Delhi; the second T20 on September 15, 2026, in New Delhi; the third T20 on September 17, 2026, in New Delhi.
India Tour of West Indies (September-October 2026)
The first ODI is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram; the second ODI on September 30, 2026, in Guwahati; the third ODI on October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh. The T20 series includes the first match on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, the second on October 9, 2026, in Ranchi, the third on October 11, 2026, in Indore, the fourth on October 14, 2026, in Hyderabad, and the fifth on October 17, 2026, in Bangalore.
India Tour of New Zealand (October-November 2026)
The T20 series begins with the first match on October 22 in Christchurch, followed by matches on October 24 in Christchurch, October 27 in Wellington, October 30 in Auckland, and November 1 in Hamilton. The ODI series will take place on November 4, 2026, at Eden Park in Auckland, November 7 in Wellington, November 10 at Seddon Park in Hamilton, November 13 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, and November 15 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. The Test matches will be held from November 19–23 in Wellington and November 27–December 1 in Christchurch.
India Tour of Sri Lanka (December 2026)
The following matches are planned for December: the first ODI on December 13, 2026, in Delhi, the second ODI on December 16, 2026, in Bangalore, the third ODI on December 19, 2026, in Ahmedabad. The T20 series includes the first match on December 22, 2026, in Rajkot, the second on December 24, 2026, in Katak, and the third on December 27, 2026, in Pune.