Full schedule of India's participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup presented

The discussion surrounding the upcoming major cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Asian Games is once again rising, extending beyond a simple sporting rivalry. The main question is whether athletes from both teams will exchange handshakes after the game.

The men's cricket final will take place in Nishin on Saturday at 10 am. India advanced to the final by defeating Sri Lanka with a score of 124 runs in the semi-final on Thursday. This match has once again sparked debate about the issue of handshakes.

Previously, Indian athletes refrained from shaking hands with Pakistani players in Asian and International Cricket Council tournaments during the Asia Cup and ICC events, demonstrating solidarity with the Indian armed forces following the 'Sindur' operation last year.

There is a suggestion that this policy of refusing handshakes will continue at Asian Cricket Council and International Cricket Council events. However, it remains an open question whether the same stance will be maintained at the continental event organized by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

OCA or International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules do not oblige players to shake hands. Nevertheless, it is considered a widely accepted tradition within the standards of sportsmanship and friendly conduct between athletes.

Similar situations have occurred before. For instance, at the 2016 Olympics, Egyptian judoka Islam El Sheikhaby refused to shake hands with Israeli player Oru Sasson. The IOC did not fine him but criticized him for violating the rules of 'fair play' and 'spirit of friendship.' Subsequently, his own team sent him back.

Currently, Ukrainian athletes are also refusing to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian players in various sporting competitions amid the ongoing war.

Now it remains to be seen whether the leadership of the Indian cricket team will maintain its previous position against Pakistan, or if they will shake hands after the match. It is worth noting that at the Asian Games, other Indian athletes did not view shaking hands with Pakistani rivals as an issue; for example, in table tennis and squash, Indian players usually shake hands with Pakistani opponents. Furthermore, in the semi-final on Thursday, India and Pakistan...

The decision on this matter in cricket will be made after the arrival of BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikhy in Nagoya. It is expected that ICC Chairman Jay Shah will also arrive at the final. Regardless of the outcome of the final, Indian and Pakistani players will have to share the podium. A similar situation occurred last week when the Indian women's team won gold. Although the women's team did not play against the bronze medalist from Pakistan in the tournament, athletes from both countries shared the podium. Sri Lanka was the silver medalist for India in the women's final.

Following the conclusion of the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, the India team's schedule will continue in 2026. According to the current BCCI schedule, after the matches with Afghanistan, the Indian team will play games against Japan, then participate in the Asian Games, and subsequently play against the West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka.

The Indian team achieved a clean triumph in the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, with all three encounters held at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The next target for the Indian squad is Japan, where a historic T20 International match is scheduled for September 22.

The match between India and Japan will be the first in the history of men's international cricket and will take place at the Sano International Cricket Stadium in Japan. This match will be held to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.

Subsequently, the Indian team will participate in the 2026 Asian Games. The men's cricket discipline will be held in Japan from September 24 to October 3, and India has automatically qualified for the quarterfinals. The team's first match is scheduled for September 28.

During the Asian Games, India's domestic international season will begin. The team will play in a three-match ODI series against the West Indies, starting on September 27. This will be followed by five T20 Internationals, which will take place from October 6 to October 17.

Immediately after the series with the West Indies, the Indian team will embark on a tour to New Zealand, which is scheduled approximately four years later. Five T20 matches and five ODI Internationals are planned there in October-November. Additionally, two Test matches will be played between the two countries. This series is of great importance for India's campaign in the Test Cricket World Cup.

At the end of the year, India will play a series of matches against Sri Lanka, including three ODIs and three T20 Internationals. Thus, the India team's schedule remains very busy into December.

According to the schedule, there are only 28 matches ahead. These matches include: a game against Japan (T20 on September 22), the first match at the Asian Games (September 28), the series against the West Indies (3 ODIs + 5 T20s), the tour to New Zealand (2 Tests + 5 T20s + 5 ODIs), and the series against Sri Lanka (3 ODIs + 3 T20s).

Details of the West Indies visit to India (September-October 2026): the first ODI is scheduled for September 27, 2026, in Tiruvannamalai, the second ODI is on September 30, 2026, in Guwahati, and the third ODI is on October 3, 2026, in Chandigarh. The T20 series will start on October 6, 2026, in Lucknow, with subsequent matches on October 9 in Ranchi, October 11 in Indore, October 14 in Hyderabad, and October 17 in Bangalore.

Schedule of India's tour to New Zealand (October-December 2026): the first two T20s are scheduled for October 22 and 24 in Christchurch, the third T20 is on October 27 in Wellington, the fourth T20 is on October 30 in Auckland, and the fifth T20 is on November 1 in Hamilton. The ODI series will take place on November 4, 2026, at Eden Park, Auckland, November 7 in Wellington, November 10 at Seddon Park, Hamilton, November 13 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, and November 15 at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The Test matches will be held from November 19–23 in Wellington and November 27–December 1 in Christchurch.

India's visit to Sri Lanka (December 2026): three ODIs are scheduled for December 13, 2026, in Delhi, December 16 in Bangalore, and December 19 in Ahmedabad. The T20 series will take place on December 22, 2026, in Rajkot, December 24 in Katak, and December 27 in Pune.