India set to play 63 international matches in 2018-19 season as they build up to Cricket World Cup

New Delhi: With an eye on next year’s ICC World Cup, the Indian cricket team will be playing around 30 ODIs in an estimated 63 international games across formats, scheduled for the 2018-19 season. India will also play 12 Test matches during the upcoming season along with 21 T20 Internationals. India’s ongoing season (2017-18) will come to an end with the Nidahas Tri-Nation T20 tournament in Sri Lanka (Bangladesh, being the third team). While the Indian cricket calendar starts in April with the cash-rich Indian Premier League, the national team will start its campaign in June with a short two-match T20 series against Ireland. [caption id=“attachment_4355823” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the India cricket team. Reuters[/caption] In the same month, they will host Afghanistan in Bengaluru for the historic one-off Test. The marquee two and half month tour of England will start in July and end early September where India play five Tests, three ODIs and T20 each. There is a window for the Asia Cup (this edition will be 50 overs) keeping in mind the World Cup, but the date and the venue is yet to be finalised. Asia Cup will have around 9 ODIs. India’s home season will be a short one with the West Indies coming for two Tests, five ODIs and three T20 Internationals during October-November. After the tour of West Indies, India will go Down Under to play Australia in four Tests, three T20 Internationals and three ODIs in November-December. The BCCI has taken a policy decision of not playing Test cricket in New Zealand as 3:30 am IST start to Test matches is not commercially viable for the world’s richest cricket board. The New Zealand tour, from mid-January to mid February, will have five ODIs and five T20 Internationals. In the second half of February, Australia will come to India for a limited overs series where they will play five ODIs and two T20 Internationals. The curtains will be drawn on the 2018-19 season with Zimbabwe coming for an inconsequential three-match T20 series. India’s 2018-19 season itinerary estimated International Matches: 63 June 2018: vs Ireland (2 T20I) (Away) June 2018: vs Afghanistan (1 Test) (Home) July-September 2018: vs England (5 Tests, 3 ODI, 3 T20I) (Away) September 2018: Asia Cup (Approx 9 ODIs) (Venue and Date yet to be finalised) October-November 2018: vs West Indies (2 Tests, 5 ODIs, 3 T20I) (Home) November-December 2018: vs Australia (4 Tests, 3 ODIs, 3 T20I) (Away) January-February 2019: vs New Zealand (5 ODIs, 5 T20I) (Away) February-March 2019: vs Australia (5 ODI, 2 T20I) (Home) March 2019: vs Zimbabwe (3 T20I) (Home).