The cricket schedule for November and December 2026 is packed: Pakistan host Sri Lanka for two Tests, India tour New Zealand across all three formats, Australia’s home summer starts with England white-ball series and a four-Test series against New Zealand, and the T20 league season begins with the ILT20 in the UAE and a historic Big Bash opener in Chennai.
Latest: India lead New Zealand 3-0 in the T20Is. See the India vs New Zealand 2026 results, schedule and squads.
This guide lists every major men’s international series and franchise league between late October and the end of December, with dates and venues confirmed by the boards and tournament organisers.
Fixtures can move for weather, broadcast or security reasons. Last updated 25 October 2026.
In this guide
Cricket Schedule at a Glance: Nov–Dec 2026
| Dates | Series / event | Format | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| To 31 Oct | Pakistan ODI Tri-Series (Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka) | ODI | Lahore, Pakistan |
| 27 Oct – 1 Nov | New Zealand v India, T20Is 3–5 | T20I | New Zealand |
| From 28 Oct | Bangladesh v West Indies | Test | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| 4 – 15 Nov | New Zealand v India, five ODIs | ODI | New Zealand |
| 9 – 21 Nov | Pakistan v Sri Lanka, two Tests | Test | Rawalpindi & Lahore |
| 13 – 18 Nov | Australia v England, three ODIs | ODI | Australia |
| From 15 Nov | South Africa v Bangladesh | Tour | South Africa |
| 19 Nov – 1 Dec | New Zealand v India, two Tests | Test | Wellington & Christchurch |
| 21 Nov – 2 Dec | Australia v England, five T20Is | T20I | Australia |
| 21 Nov – 20 Dec | ILT20 Season 5 | T20 league | UAE |
| 9 Dec – 8 Jan | Australia v New Zealand, four Tests | Test | Australia |
| From 12 Dec | Big Bash League (BBL|16) | T20 league | Australia & Chennai |
| 13 – 27 Dec | India v Sri Lanka, three ODIs & three T20Is | ODI / T20I | India |
| From 17 Dec | South Africa v England, three Tests | Test | South Africa |
Pakistan: Tri-Series Finale and Sri Lanka Tests
Pakistan ODI Tri-Series (to 31 October)
All remaining tri-series matches are at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Pakistan, captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi, went into the final week top of the table with two wins from two. The standout moment so far was Sri Lanka chasing down 430 against England, despite a double century (202) from England captain Harry Brook.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| 29 Oct | Sri Lanka v England | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
| 31 Oct | Final (top two) | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test Series
Sri Lanka stay on for two Tests after a three-day warm-up match in Islamabad (4–6 November).
| Match | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | 9–13 Nov | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
| 2nd Test | 17–21 Nov | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore |
These Tests count towards the 2025–27 World Test Championship, where Pakistan sit bottom of the table with a points percentage of 4.63 and can no longer reach the final. For Sri Lanka, home-and-away points still matter in the race for the top two.
India in New Zealand: T20Is, ODIs and Tests
India’s all-format tour of New Zealand is the longest series of the window. India, led in T20Is by Shreyas Iyer, won the first two T20Is in Christchurch by four wickets each to go 2-0 up against Mitchell Santner’s side.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct | 3rd T20I | Wellington |
| 30 Oct | 4th T20I | Auckland |
| 1 Nov | 5th T20I | Hamilton |
| 4 Nov | 1st ODI | Auckland |
| 7 Nov | 2nd ODI | Wellington |
| 10 Nov | 3rd ODI | Hamilton |
| 13 Nov | 4th ODI | Tauranga |
| 15 Nov | 5th ODI | Tauranga |
| 19–23 Nov | 1st Test | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| 27 Nov – 1 Dec | 2nd Test | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
After returning home, India host Sri Lanka in December: ODIs in Delhi (13 Dec), Bengaluru (16 Dec) and Ahmedabad (19 Dec), then T20Is in Rajkot (22 Dec), Cuttack (24 Dec) and Pune (27 Dec). A five-Test Border-Gavaskar series against Australia follows from 21 January 2027.
Australia’s Home Summer
There is no Ashes this winter. Instead, England visit for eight white-ball internationals before New Zealand arrive for four Tests, including the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Nov | 1st ODI v England | Perth |
| 15 Nov | 2nd ODI v England | Adelaide |
| 18 Nov | 3rd ODI v England | Hobart |
| 21 Nov | 1st T20I v England | MCG, Melbourne |
| 24 Nov | 2nd T20I v England | Gold Coast |
| 27 Nov | 3rd T20I v England | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| 29 Nov | 4th T20I v England | SCG, Sydney |
| 2 Dec | 5th T20I v England | Canberra |
| 9–13 Dec | 1st Test v New Zealand | Perth |
| 17–21 Dec | 2nd Test v New Zealand | Adelaide |
| 26–30 Dec | 3rd (Boxing Day) Test v New Zealand | MCG, Melbourne |
| 4–8 Jan | 4th Test v New Zealand | SCG, Sydney |
Australia lead the World Test Championship table (81.82%) ahead of New Zealand (72.22%), so this series is effectively a top-of-the-table clash. England return to Australia in March 2027 for the 150th-anniversary Test at the MCG (11–15 March).
Other International Series
- Bangladesh v West Indies: Test series starting 28 October in Dhaka.
- South Africa v Bangladesh: Bangladesh tour South Africa from 15 November.
- South Africa v England: three Tests from 17 December, with WTC points at stake for both sides (South Africa are third on 60.00%).
T20 Leagues: ILT20, Big Bash and More
- ILT20 Season 5 (UAE): 21 November to 20 December, opening with Desert Vipers v MI Emirates in Dubai.
- Big Bash League BBL|16: starts 12 December with Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers in Chennai, the first BBL match ever played in India. The final is on 26 January.
- SA20 Season 5: starts 17 January 2027, just outside this window.
- Bangladesh Premier League: 2026–27 dates have not been confirmed at the time of writing.
- Pakistan Super League: not scheduled in this window.
World Test Championship Standings
With several Test series in this window, here’s how the 2025–27 WTC table looked in mid-October (points percentage):
| Pos | Team | PCT |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 81.82 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 72.22 |
| 3 | South Africa | 60.00 |
| 4 | India | 51.52 |
| – | Pakistan | 4.63 (cannot qualify) |
The top two after the cycle closes in June 2027 meet in the final at The Oval. New to the formats? Read Test vs ODI vs T20 explained, and use our guide to reading a cricket scorecard to follow every match.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Pakistan tri-series final?
Saturday 31 October 2026 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
When does the Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test series start?
The 1st Test is 9–13 November in Rawalpindi; the 2nd Test is 17–21 November in Lahore.
Is there an Ashes series in 2026?
No. Australia play England in ODIs and T20Is in November and December 2026, and a one-off 150th-anniversary Test at the MCG in March 2027.
When does the Big Bash League 2026–27 start?
On 12 December 2026, with Renegades v Scorchers in Chennai, India.
Key Takeaways
- Pakistan’s tri-series ends on 31 October, followed by two Tests against Sri Lanka (9–21 Nov).
- India play 10 internationals in New Zealand before hosting Sri Lanka in December.
- Australia v New Zealand (from 9 Dec) is a WTC top-two clash, including the Boxing Day Test.
- ILT20 starts 21 Nov; BBL|16 opens in Chennai on 12 Dec.
Looking further ahead? The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 and more are in our sports calendar 2027.
