India have 13 bilateral ODIs before 2027 World Cup, with New Zealand tour the toughest
India are set to play 13 bilateral ODIs before the 2027 World Cup, including five in New Zealand in November, though the schedule may change.
The ICC is preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the tournament schedule is likely to be released on October 1. All teams are gearing up for the event. India are playing an ODI series at home against West Indies to firm up their preparations and test themselves.
India won the first match convincingly, by 8 wickets. Two matches remain in the series and they will be important for World Cup preparation. The team will also focus on winning the series.
India and West Indies are playing a three-match ODI series. India will then play ODI series against New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. According to the current schedule, India have 13 bilateral ODIs fixed before the 2027 World Cup. However, the schedule may change later and a few more matches may be added.
After the last two matches of the West Indies series, the Indian team will tour New Zealand in November 2026 for a five-match ODI series. In December, India will host three ODIs against Sri Lanka. In January 2027, a three-match ODI series will be played at home against Zimbabwe.
The five ODIs against New Zealand in November will be a special challenge for the Indian team because the matches will be played in foreign conditions. The 13 matches will give the team a chance to assess players' performances and build combinations suited to different conditions.
Since the 2023 ODI World Cup final, India have played 30 ODIs, winning 19 and losing 10, with one match ending without a result. In this period India won ODI series against South Africa, England and Afghanistan. India also won the Champions Trophy title in 2025.
The 2027 Asia Cup is likely to be played in the 50-over format. If so, India could get more matches to test their ODI preparation before the World Cup.
An ODI series between India and Bangladesh was due in August-September 2025 but was postponed. New dates for the series have not yet been announced. If it is included in the coming schedule, the number of India's ODIs could rise further.
