Discussions for a potential white-ball cricket series between ICC Men’s T20 world champions India and Sri Lanka in August are still ongoing, with both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), yet to finalise it, according to informed sources from the latter.
A source told The Daily Morning Sports, that both the BCCI and the SLC, were currently involved in thrashing out details linked to a possible series early next month, but emphasised that it was yet to be confirmed 100%.
A window has emerged suddenly for both cricket boards to explore the possibility of arranging the series of three ODIs and T20Is.
This was after India postponed its scheduled tour to Bangladesh early next month and SLC opting to put-off the Lanka Premier League (LPL)-originally slated for early August, to late this year.
The venues and the dates for the white-ball cricket series between the two neighbours, which is still up in the air, are yet to be finalised according to these sources, but they insist that once modalities are sorted out, details would be promptly revealed to the media.
“The discussions are still going on and nothing has been finalised with regard to the series. But once all is sorted out, it will be revealed to the press,” a source from the SLC stated.
SLC sources insist that any proposed white-ball series against India, will be a shot in the arm in terms of providing the national team with much needed game time, ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be jointly co-hosted between India and Sri Lanka early next year.
Furthermore, any series with India-the format’s top-ranked team, will also invariably boost the coffers of the SLC via broadcast revenue and ticket sales etc.
The two teams last met in a bilateral series in 2024, with Suriyakumar Yadav’s team winning the T20 leg and the hosts coming back to clinch the ODI series-a first success for them after 27 years at home.
Charith Asalanka’s men are currently smarting following a 2-1 T20 series loss to Bangladesh early this month – their first such reverse in a bilateral series to the ‘Tigers’.
Hence, cricket analysts view a possible series against the reigning world champions will offer the home side a golden opportunity to brush off its cobwebs and put out a decent outfit on the park, in the run up to the global showpiece in 2026.
In the meantime, irrespective of whether the proposed series between Sri Lanka and India comes through or not, the island-nation is scheduled to undertake a tour of Zimbabwe commencing on 29 August.
Their next bilateral white-ball series on home soil however, will be against 11th-ranked Ireland when the latter is scheduled to visit in October-November this year.
India last lost a bilateral T20 series to Sri Lanka here in 2021, when the latter under ex-captain Dasun Shanaka, won a three-match series 2-1 after losing the opener.