Team India is gearing up for a high-stakes build-up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 with a marquee home series against New Zealand in January. New Zealand will tour India for a three-match ODI series followed by five T20 Internationals, serving as India’s final preparation before the global tournament. In a major highlight for cricket fans in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium will host the fourth T20I on January 28, adding to the city’s growing reputation as a premier cricketing venue.
The action-packed series will begin with the ODIs, starting on January 11, 2026, in Baroda (Vadodara). Notably, this match will be hosted at the newly constructed Kotambi Stadium, marking Vadodara’s return to hosting men’s international cricket after more than 15 years.
The second and third ODIs are scheduled to be played in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and January 18, respectively. The T20 leg will kick off on January 21 in Nagpur and culminate in Trivandrum on January 31, with matches also lined up in Raipur, Guwahati, and Visakhapatnam.
| Match | Day | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Sunday | 11 Jan 26 | Baroda | 1:30 PM |
| 2nd ODI | Wednesday | 14 Jan 26 | Rajkot | 1:30 PM |
| 3rd ODI | Sunday | 18 Jan 26 | Indore | 1:30 PM |
| 1st T20I | Wednesday | 21 Jan 26 | Nagpur | 7:00 PM |
| 2nd T20I | Friday | 23 Jan 26 | Raipur | 7:00 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Sunday | 25 Jan 26 | Guwahati | 7:00 PM |
| 4th T20I | Wednesday | 28 Jan 26 | Vizag | 7:00 PM |
| 5th T20I | Saturday | 31 Jan 26 | Trivandrum | 7:00 PM |
Fresh off hosting two IPL 2025 matches as the temporary home ground for Delhi Capitals, the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam is set for a busy calendar. In another feather in its cap, Vizag has been selected as one of the five venues for the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. Other host cities include Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, and Colombo in Sri Lanka. The stadium will host an ODI between India and South Africa on Thursday, October 9, as part of India’s packed 2025-26 schedule.
India’s cricket calendar is set to be packed at the start of next year. Prior to the New Zealand tour of India in 2026, the team will play a two-Test home series. After wrapping up the white-ball leg against the Kiwis, the squad will travel to Australia for three ODIs and five T20Is. Soon after, the Men in Blue will return home to take on South Africa in a full-fledged series, continuing their intense run-up to the T20 World Cup.
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