India to play Sri Lanka in a three match T20I series in January

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), on Wednesday evening, announced that India will be playing a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in January 2020.

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Schedule of the Tour

In a press release on the website of the Indian cricket's apex body, the council stated that the three matches will be played between January 5 and 10. The first T20I will be played on January 5 in Guwahati. The second T20I will be played on January 7 in Indore and the third T20I will be played on January 10 in Pune. 

The announcement comes after Zimbabwe's tour in India was called off because of the former's suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The BCCI, in the release said, "In the wake of Zimbabwe’s suspension by ICC, the BCCI invited Sri Lanka to participate in the three-match series."

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Zimbabwe suspended by ICC

The African country was suspended by cricket's apex body in July for failing to ensure there is no government interference in its running of the sport. The country's cricket team will not be able to compete at any ICC event and the body has withdrawn it's funding. ICC said that it will be reviewing its decision in October in a Board meeting. 

Zimbabwe last played in a T20I triangular series played in Bangladesh which featured Afghanistan as the third team. The tournament was not organised by the ICC. Currently, they are scheduled to play Nepal and Singapore in another tri-series tournament which will be hosted in Singapore.

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The fixtures for Zimbabwe's tour of India were the same and there has been no change in the schedule in terms of the venue or the dates. 

India has played 120 T20Is against Sri Lanka, having won 74, lost 42 with only one game ending in a draw. India is currently playing South Africa with the T20I leg of the series having just concluded in a draw. The two teams will now play three Test matches and then three ODI matches. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, is on tour in Pakistan where they will be playing three ODIs beginning from September 27 and will then play three T20I games beginning from October 5. 

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