The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rejected reports claiming that the opening One Day International (ODI) between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 13, 2026, has been shifted from Delhi to Ahmedabad. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified on Monday that no such decision had been taken and described the reports as inaccurate. The clarification comes amid speculation about the availability of the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where construction work has reportedly raised questions about preparations for the upcoming international fixture.
Saikia said the match had been allotted to Delhi under the board’s established venue-allocation policy. He reiterated that there had been no decision to move the fixture to another city and urged media organisations to rely on official BCCI communications for updates regarding the schedule. His statement sought to address confusion surrounding the opening match of Sri Lanka’s scheduled white-ball tour of India later this year.
Reports suggesting a venue change had indicated that the first ODI could be moved to Ahmedabad because of ongoing construction work at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. However, the BCCI’s clarification means that Delhi remains the designated venue for the opening match, according to the currently announced schedule. The board has not announced any changes to the fixture, and the reports of a shift have been denied by its secretary.
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India are scheduled to host Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI series followed by three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in December 2026. The ODI series is set to begin in Delhi on December 13, before moving to Bengaluru for the second match on December 16. Ahmedabad is scheduled to host the third and final ODI on December 19, completing the 50-over leg of the tour.
The teams will subsequently compete in three T20Is, scheduled to take place in Rajkot on December 22, Cuttack on December 24 and Pune on December 27. The series forms part of India’s 2026-27 international home season, which includes several visiting teams across formats. For now, the BCCI has maintained the announced schedule, with the opening India-Sri Lanka ODI remaining in Delhi and no official venue change confirmed.
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