Road To T20 World Cup 2026: India’s Packed Schedule Featuring Asia Cup, Australia, South Africa, And New Zealand – All You Need To Know

Asia Cup 2025: The First Big Test

India’s preparations kick off with the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28, 2025. The tournament comes at a crucial time as India will take on traditional rivals Pakistan, along with the UAE and Oman, in Group A. With the team in transition following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, this will be the first opportunity to test new combinations.

India Tour of Australia (October-November 2025)

After the Asia Cup, India will travel to Australia for a five-match T20I series in late October and early November. Matches are scheduled across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and other iconic venues. This series will be a litmus test against one of the strongest white-ball sides, with Indian batters set to face pace-friendly conditions.

South Africa Tour of India (December 2025)

India returns home in December for a five-match T20I series against South Africa:

Dec 9: 1st T20I – Cuttack

Dec 11: 2nd T20I – Chandigarh (Mullanpur)

Dec 14: 3rd T20I – Dharamsala

Dec 17: 4th T20I – Lucknow

Dec 19: 5th T20I – Ahmedabad

The series provides India with valuable home practice against a team that has consistently challenged them in bilateral T20 contests.

New Zealand Tour of India (January 2026)

India’s final preparation series will be against New Zealand at home, featuring another set of five T20Is:

Jan 21: 1st T20I – Nagpur

Jan 23: 2nd T20I – Raipur

Jan 25: 3rd T20I – Guwahati

Jan 28: 4th T20I – Visakhapatnam

Jan 31: 5th T20I – Thiruvananthapuram

This will be India’s last bilateral engagement before the World Cup, making it a key opportunity for fringe players to press their case.