India was originally scheduled to tour Bangladesh on August 13, but that series has now been postponed until September 2026. However, India isn’t looking to stay away from action during that period.
According to the initial calendar, the Indian cricket team was set to visit Bangladesh in August. But this week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) pushed the tour back by a year. Still, instead of remaining idle in August, the BCCI is now in discussions to play a series in Sri Lanka around the same time.
Sri Lankan outlet Newswire reported that India could tour Sri Lanka in August. Both the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) and BCCI are in talks for a bilateral series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. According to the Future Tours Programme (FTP), India was also supposed to play an equal number of ODIs and T20Is on their Bangladesh tour.
The postponement of the Bangladesh series was officially confirmed on July 5, when the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) issued a press release stating that both cricket boards had reviewed the international schedule and mutually agreed to reschedule the series to September 2026. However, the reason behind the decision was not disclosed in the statement.
At the time, a report by BBC Bangla claimed that India’s central government was not in favor of sending the cricket team to Bangladesh. According to a report sent by its Delhi correspondent, “Delhi feels that the current diplomatic chill between India and Bangladesh, along with negative sentiments within India regarding Bangladesh’s internal situation, means that such a tour would not send a positive message.”
Newswire further noted that with India’s tour of Bangladesh postponed, the Indian team now has an open slot in August. Interestingly, the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which was also scheduled around the same time, has been postponed as well — creating a coincidence that leaves both teams with open schedules in mid-August.
Citing sources, the report stated that the BCCI and SLC are exploring the possibility of organizing a short bilateral series. Sri Lanka’s national team is set to depart for Zimbabwe on August 29, and the proposed three ODIs and three T20Is could take place before that.
