The 2026 cricket calendar will keep all 12 full-member nations busy, with every team set to feature regularly across formats. England, Australia, South Africa, the West Indies, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Ireland will play several bilateral series at home and away.
In 2025, India enjoyed major success on the global stage by winning the ICC Champions Trophy. Senior stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped away from Test cricket. Batter Shubman Gill took over leadership duties and delivered with the bat, but the team suffered a whitewash series defeat against South Africa.
2026 Cricket Season Opens with Australia vs England Ashes Finale at the SCG
The 2026 international cricket season will begin with a high-profile clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Australia and England meet in the final Test of the Ashes on January 4. India will take on New Zealand in a three-match ODI series starting on January 11.
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Several other cricket teams, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the West Indies, and Afghanistan, also have international series lined up as part of their preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026.
The focus will then shift to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to be played in February and March. The tournament will feature 20 teams, with matches taking place across venues in India and Sri Lanka.
Apart from the T20 World Cup, 2026 will also include several cricket events such as the Women’s T20 World Cup, the Men’s Under-19 World Cup, Australia’s tour of South Africa, and India’s tour of New Zealand across formats.
2026 Cricket Season Set for Non-Stop Action Across Formats
The 2026 cricket season will stay busy through the middle of the year with action across formats. In March, Pakistan will tour Bangladesh for a full series that includes Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. The Indian Premier League will take place from late March to the end of May.
In June, New Zealand will travel to England for a three-match Test series. England will also host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup from mid-June to early July.
India will tour England for five T20Is and three ODIs in July. Pakistan will play two Tests in the West Indies. In August, Pakistan will travel to England for a three-Test series. India will tour Sri Lanka for a two-Test series, with dates yet to be confirmed. The year-end series are also yet to be announced.
Full Cricket schedule 2026:
| Month | Dates | Series / Event | Teams / Tour | Format & Matches | Venue |
| January | Jan 4–8 | Ashes – 5th Test | Australia vs England | 1 Test | Australia |
| January | Jan 8–12 | Pakistan tour of Sri Lanka | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 3 T20Is | Sri Lanka |
| January | Jan 9–Feb 5 | Women’s Premier League | WPL Teams | League | India |
| January | Jan 11–31 | New Zealand tour of India | India vs New Zealand | 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is | India |
| January | Jan 15–Feb 6 | U19 World Cup | Multiple teams | Tournament | Zimbabwe, Namibia |
| January | Jan 19–22 | Afghanistan vs West Indies | Afghanistan vs West Indies | 3 T20Is | UAE |
| January | Jan 22–Feb 3 | England tour of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka vs England | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Sri Lanka |
| January | Jan 27–31 | West Indies tour of South Africa | South Africa vs West Indies | 3 T20Is | South Africa |
| January–February | TBA | Australia tour of Pakistan | Pakistan vs Australia | 3 T20Is | Pakistan |
| February | TBA | Afghanistan vs New Zealand | Afghanistan vs New Zealand | 3 T20Is | UAE |
| February–March | Feb 7–Mar 8 | T20 World Cup | Multiple teams | Tournament | India, Sri Lanka |
| February–March | Feb 15–Mar 6 | India women tour of Australia | Australia vs India (Women) | 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, 1 Test | Australia |
| March | Mar 15–25 | South Africa tour of New Zealand | New Zealand vs South Africa | 5 T20Is | New Zealand |
| March | TBA | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka | Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | UAE |
| March | TBA | Pakistan tour of Bangladesh | Bangladesh vs Pakistan | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Bangladesh |
| March–May | Mar 26–May 31 | Indian Premier League | IPL Teams | League | India |
| April | TBA | New Zealand tour of Bangladesh | Bangladesh vs New Zealand | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Bangladesh |
| April–May | TBA | Zimbabwe tour of Pakistan | Pakistan vs Zimbabwe | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Pakistan |
| May–June | May 28–Jun 2 | India women tour of England | England vs India (Women) | 3 T20Is | England |
| May | TBA | New Zealand tour of Ireland | Ireland vs New Zealand | 1 Test | Ireland |
| June | Jun 2–29 | New Zealand tour of England | England vs New Zealand | 3 Tests | England |
| June–July | Jun 12–Jul 5 | Women’s T20 World Cup | Multiple teams | Tournament | England |
| June | TBA | Australia tour of Pakistan | Pakistan vs Australia | 3 ODIs | Pakistan |
| June | TBA | Australia tour of Bangladesh | Bangladesh vs Australia | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Bangladesh |
| June | TBA | Sri Lanka tour of West Indies | West Indies vs Sri Lanka | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | West Indies |
| June | TBA | Afghanistan tour of India | India vs Afghanistan | 1 Test, 3 ODIs | India |
| July | Jul 1–19 | India tour of England | England vs India | 5 T20Is, 3 ODIs | England |
| July | Jul 10–14 | India women tour of England | England vs India (Women) | 1 Test | England |
| July | TBA | Bangladesh tour of Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh | 2 Tests, 5 T20Is | Zimbabwe |
| July | TBA | Afghanistan tour of Australia | Australia vs Afghanistan | 1 Test, 3 T20Is | Australia |
| July | TBA | New Zealand tour of West Indies | West Indies vs New Zealand | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | West Indies |
| July | TBA | Pakistan tour of West Indies | West Indies vs Pakistan | 2 Tests | West Indies |
| August–September | Aug 19–Sep 9 | Pakistan tour of England | England vs Pakistan | 3 Tests | England |
| August | TBA | India tour of Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka vs India | 2 Tests | Sri Lanka |
| August | TBA | Bangladesh tour of Australia | Australia vs Bangladesh | 2 Tests | Australia |
| August | TBA | Bangladesh tour of Ireland | Ireland vs Bangladesh | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Ireland |
| August | TBA | Afghanistan tour of Ireland | Ireland vs Afghanistan | 1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Ireland |
| September | Sep 15–27 | Sri Lanka tour of England | England vs Sri Lanka | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | England |
| September | TBA | Australia tour of Zimbabwe | Zimbabwe vs Australia | 3 ODIs | Zimbabwe |
| September | TBA | India vs Afghanistan | India vs Afghanistan | 3 T20Is | India |
| September | TBA | West Indies tour of India | India vs West Indies | 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is | India |
| September–October | TBA | Australia tour of South Africa | South Africa vs Australia | 3 Tests, 3 ODIs | South Africa |
| October–November | TBA | India tour of New Zealand | New Zealand vs India | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is | New Zealand |
| October | TBA | West Indies tour of Bangladesh | Bangladesh vs West Indies | 2 Tests | Bangladesh |
| October | TBA | ODI Tri-Series | Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka | ODIs | Pakistan |
| October–November | TBA | Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan | Pakistan vs Sri Lanka | 2 Tests, 3 T20Is | Pakistan |
| November–December | TBA | England tour of Australia | Australia vs England | 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is | Australia |
| November | TBA | Bangladesh tour of South Africa | South Africa vs Bangladesh | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs | South Africa |
| December–January | TBA | Sri Lanka tour of India | India vs Sri Lanka | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | India |
| December–January | TBA | New Zealand tour of Australia | Australia vs New Zealand | 4 Tests | Australia |
| December | TBA | Zimbabwe tour of Afghanistan | Afghanistan vs Zimbabwe | 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | Afghanistan |
| December–January | TBA | England tour of South Africa | South Africa vs England | 3 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | South Africa |
Also read: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in 2026: India’s Full Cricket Schedule Revealed
