BCCI announces India's full schedule for white-ball series against New Zealand for T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up, know complete fixtures here

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the complete schedule for the white-ball series between India and New Zealand as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026. BCCI in its 28th Apex Council Meeting revealed that the New Zealand tour of India will consist of eight matches, featuring three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five T20 Internationals (T20Is) starting from January 11, 2026, right ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

The T20I leg of the series, which will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, is scheduled to take place between January 21 and January 31, 2026. This series will serve as the final key preparation for the Indian team ahead of the T20 World Cup, which is set to be held in India and Sri Lanka during February and March of that year.

The series will first feature three ODI matches, where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who have retired from Test and T20 formats, are expected to participate. The first ODI between India and New Zealand will be held on January 11, 2026, in Baroda. Following this, the second ODI is scheduled for January 14 in Rajkot, with the final ODI taking place in Indore on January 18.

Meanwhile, the first T20I will be played on January 21 in Nagpur following second one slated for Raipur on January 23. The series will then move to Guwahati for third T20I on January 25. The final two T20Is will take place in Vizag and Trivandrum on January 28 and January 31 respectively. 

Schedule for India's white-ball series against New Zealand:

In a move to enhance the standard of officiating in domestic cricket, the Apex Council has resolved to establish a dedicated Working Group. This group will consist of five experienced 'Umpire Coaches', each possessing international umpiring experience as former umpires. Their primary responsibility will be to oversee the development of umpires and work towards improving their performance on the field.

Furthermore, the Apex Council has also decided to form another Working Group focused on the development of match referees. This group will comprise three former Match Referees and will be tasked with monitoring the progress of current match referees. They will also be responsible for providing these officials with opportunities to further hone their skills and elevate their performance in cricket matches.

The schedule for the 2025–26 domestic cricket season was also finalized. The season is set to begin with the prestigious Duleep Trophy on August 28th, 2025, and will culminate with the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy on April 3rd, 2026. The Ranji Trophy, a cornerstone of Indian domestic cricket, will be held in two phases from October 15th to February 28th. This year's edition will also feature a slightly tweaked format that will include the promotion and relegation of one team from the Plate Group, adding an extra layer of competitiveness to the tournament.