New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is exploring the possibility of hosting India for a white-ball series in early August, taking advantage of a rare opening in both nations’ schedules. Final discussions are expected to take place this week on the sidelines of the ICC meetings in Singapore.

This follows after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) mutually agreed to defer the white-ball series, three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals, between Bangladesh and India in August 2025 to September 2026. Security concerns due to the state of unrest in the neighbouring country are believed to be the major factor in the decision taken by the two boards.

The Tour of Bangladesh was scheduled to begin on August 17, following India’s ongoing five-Test series against England, with the final match scheduled to be played from July 31 to August 4.

“We’ve received positive feedback. Further discussions will happen in Singapore during the ICC meeting. We expect a final decision within two or three days,” A senior SLC official told www.telecomasia.net.

If approved, the series is likely to be held in Colombo and Kandy. While the initial proposal included three ODIs and three T20Is, the emphasis is expected to tilt towards T20s, given the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in February–March, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The opportunity emerged after the Lanka Premier League (LPL), initially set for August, was postponed. Simultaneously, India and Bangladesh mutually agreed to shelve a six-match limited-overs series originally planned for the same period, freeing up a window that SLC is keen to fill.

Sri Lanka are coming off a disappointing 2-1 T20 series defeat to Bangladesh — their first-ever series loss to the Tigers in the format. The defeat has prompted captain Charith Asalanka to urge the board for more high-quality cricket in the build-up to the World Cup.

“There are still a few spots up for grabs, and playing competitive cricket is essential. We can’t afford to enter the World Cup undercooked,” said Asalanka.

–IANS

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