The challenge lies in ensuring that the team carries the same T20I form into the home World Cup where anything less than a successful title defence might not be seen favourably by the fans. But before and after the T20 World Cup, cricketing action continues as India host a lot of teams and travel across continents with hopes of glory. Group stage runs January across four pools of 4 teams, with top 2 sides from each group advancing to the Super Six stage. Semifinals are scheduled on February 3 and 4, while Harare Sports Club hosts the final on February 6. For fans looking to catch every boundary and wicket, the 2026 edition has secured wide-reaching broadcast and digital partnerships.

• Their rivalry is defined by parity in ICC events, though India has dominated recent bilateral series.
• The 12th edition of the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) 2026 is officially back, promising a high-octane blend of cinema and sport as the biggest stars from eight regional film industries take to the pitch.
• New Zealand will aim to sharpen adaptability and combinations, while both sides field squads blending experienced campaigners with emerging talent ahead of the global tournament.

Paarl Royals vs Joburg Super Kings

The ICC has officially unveiled the complete schedule for the T20 World Cup 2026, setting the stage for a blockbuster month of cricket across India and Sri Lanka. The tournament begins on February 7 and will stretch all the way to March 8, featuring 20 teams, historic debutants, and some of the sport’s biggest rivalries lined up right from the group stage. Meanwhile, the Aussie women will host the Indian cricket team at home for a multi-format series in February and March. After a three-match T20I and three-match ODI series, India’s tour will conclude with a day and cricket schedule night test match at the WACA Ground. Following the ODI setback, India will move away from the 50-over format for the next few months.

What will India play after the NZ ODIs?

Here we take a look at India’s schedule for 2026 where aT20 World Cup is to be defended at home and redemption is needed in Test cricket. The 12th edition of the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) 2026 is officially back, promising a high-octane blend of cinema and sport as the biggest stars from eight regional film industries take to the pitch. Finally, West Indies finish their season in New Zealand with a three‑Test series (Dec 2–18) in Christchurch, Wellington, and Mount Maunganui, bringing a thrilling end to the year. October begins with Australia in New Zealand for three T20Is (Oct 1–4), while India host West Indies in two Tests (Oct 2 & 10). England tour New Zealand for three T20Is and three ODIs (Oct 18–Nov 1), overlapping with India’s white-ball tour of Australia (3 ODIs from Oct 19–25, 5 T20Is from Oct 29–Nov 8).

The ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 kicks off on January 15 in Zimbabwe and Namibia, featuring 16 teams battling through group stages, Super Sixes and the knockout stage on February 6. Later, they will feature in a multi-format series against the West Indies women, which includes one Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Australia under-19 team will begin their title defence in the U-19 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Zimbabwe and Namibia from January 15 to February 6.

Veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will not be part of the T20I action, having retired from the shortest format in 2024. Their next competitive appearances will come in the Indian Premier League, which runs from March 26 to May 31. Kohli will represent the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Rohit Sharma will lead the Mumbai Indians in his hunt for a sixth IPL title. To keep up to date with all the developments that can affect the outcome of a cricket match, keep in mind the latest updates. Yet, the other end of the spectrum revealed a more vulnerable side as a difficult phase in the Test format exposed chinks in the armour and signalled the end of an era as several stalwarts bid farewell to the game.

The tournament is expected to be aired live on the Sony Sports Network, specifically Sony Sports Ten 3, which serves as the official television partner so far. New Zealand’s India tour kicks off with a three-match ODI series that promises to deliver world-class cricketing action across some of India’s most iconic venues. As the Indian cricket team continues its dominance on the global stage, all eyes shift to the upcoming New Zealand Tour of India 2026. However, entrepreneurs like Sarvam AI’s Vivek Raghavan have argued that without sovereign AI models, the country will become a “digital colony”Global AI pioneers like Yoshua Bengio have previously highlighted the geopolitical implications of AI. Later in the year, India will host the West Indies for another white-ball series, followed by a possible away ODI series against New Zealand in October-November. India’s ODI calendar for 2026 is expected to conclude with a three-match home series against Sri Lanka in December.

With the tournament window confirmed, cricket fans around the world are bracing for a high-octane event featuring 20 teams. The curtain-raiser will see Pakistan take on the Netherlands in Colombo, while the same evening brings two more heavyweight fixtures, including West Indies vs Bangladesh in Kolkata and India’s opening clash against the USA in Mumbai. Get the Latest Cricket News, today’s match Live Cricket Scores, Match Results, and upcoming cricket series & schedule at Outlook India. Follow our comprehensive coverage of the India vs New Zealand 2026 news, IND vs NZ ODI & T20I schedule, squad, and detailed batting & bowling statistics. You can also stay updated with Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 news, schedule, teams & squads, WPL points table 2026, top run-scorers and wicket-takers..

In total, India is scheduled to play up to six bilateral ODI series in 2026, amounting to a possible 18 ODIs. Soon, they will travel to Asia for a three-match T20I series against Pakistan as a warm-up for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka in February and March, as the Aussies aim to win their second title. As of late 2025, the two sides have faced off in 119 matches, with India securing 61 victories compared to New Zealand’s 50.

The tour features a combination of three One-Day Internationals and five Twenty20 Internationals, all hosted on Indian soil. The New Zealand tour of India gets underway on January 11, 2026, with the final fixture scheduled for January 31, 2026. After the Afghanistan series, India will tour England in July for a three-match ODI series, starting July 14 at Edgbaston. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Cricket Stadium (Colombo) and Pallekele International Stadium (Kandy), part of a unique hybrid-hosting arrangement for certain teams. In India, venues include Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Arun Jaitley Stadium (Delhi), and MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai).

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