Fresh off their historic maiden ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup triumph at home, the Indian women’s cricket team is set to return to action in a new format. India will host Sri Lanka for a five-match T20I series from 21 to 30 December, marking the team’s final international assignment before the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the full schedule on Friday.
The upcoming series will be played across two venues — Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram — with the first two matches scheduled on the Andhra coast and the remaining three in Kerala’s capital city. This will also be Sri Lanka’s first T20I bilateral series in India since 2016, a tour that India had swept 3–0.
India begins new chapter after World Cup glory
India’s World Cup victory last month has dramatically lifted the profile of women’s cricket in the country. The team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, displayed commanding performances throughout the tournament, culminating in a memorable victory at Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium in the final.
With expectations soaring, the T20I series against Sri Lanka will be India’s first chance to reappear before home fans following their global triumph. The matches are expected to draw large crowds, especially from younger fans inspired by the World Cup win.
The series also holds importance in helping the team transition back to the T20 format ahead of a packed 2026 calendar.
Series details and schedule
According to the BCCI schedule, the T20I series will unfold as follows:
Full schedule: India Women vs Sri Lanka Women
- 1st T20I – 21 December – Visakhapatnam
- 2nd T20I – 23 December – Visakhapatnam
- 3rd T20I – 26 December – Thiruvananthapuram
- 4th T20I – 28 December – Thiruvananthapuram
- 5th T20I – 30 December – Thiruvananthapuram
The series announcement was accompanied by a promotional video from the BCCI Women’s social media handle, generating significant excitement online.
Bangladesh series deferred due to political tensions
India was originally scheduled to host Bangladesh during this window. However, due to ongoing political tensions between the two nations, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) requested the series to be postponed. BCCI subsequently invited Sri Lanka to fill the vacant slot on short notice.
Sri Lanka, who last toured India for a T20I bilateral series in 2016, will see this as a crucial opportunity to test their young side against one of the world’s strongest teams.
Build-up to the Women’s Premier League 2026
The December T20Is serve as a key precursor to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, which will run from 9 January to 5 February. For the first time, the WPL will not clash with any major international women’s cricket series since it is being held outside its usual March–April window.
The tournament will begin at Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, the site of India’s victorious World Cup final, before moving to Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium.
With the WPL mega auction concluded and teams finalising their squads, the India–Sri Lanka series offers a timely platform for domestic and international players to find form ahead of the high-profile league.
Busy 2026 for women’s cricket
The intensity of cricket will continue soon after the WPL. Just 10 days after the WPL final, the Indian women’s team will travel to Australia for an all-format tour featuring three T20Is, three ODIs and a Test from 15 February to 9 March.
This tour will be followed by the start of the next ICC global cycle, making 2026 one of the busiest years in the history of Indian women’s cricket.
Sri Lanka eye competitive outing
Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, have shown significant improvement in the shorter formats in recent years. Their last T20I outing in India may have been one-sided, but the Lankan squad today features a healthier mix of youth and experience.
While India enter the series as favourites, Sri Lanka are expected to challenge the hosts with spin-heavy bowling and adaptable middle-order batting.
Conclusion
As India takes the field for the first time since lifting the 50-over World Cup, the series against Sri Lanka offers the perfect bridge between a glorious past moment and a demanding future. With the WPL on the horizon and a challenging overseas tour to follow, the December T20Is will help India fine-tune combinations, test bench strength and reconnect with fans in a celebratory home atmosphere.