In a dazzling revelation for cricket aficionados, the Sri Lanka cricket board has unfurled its comprehensive international calendar for the year 2024. As the shimmering allure of the ICC T20 World Cup fades, the cricketing narrative takes an exciting turn with Team India set to embark on a white-ball series on the idyllic shores of Sri Lanka. This development underscores a whirlwind cricketing period for the Indian squad, testament to their relentless pursuit of cricketing excellence across the globe.
Even at this juncture, India’s cricket team is deeply entrenched in a gripping five-match T20I series against the formidable Australians. The action doesn’t halt there; they are poised to proceed to South African terrain for a cricket-packed itinerary featuring three T20Is, equal one-day internationals, and a duo of test matches. On return from their South African sojourn, the Men in Blue are slated to host the Afghan team for three T20Is in January 2024. They will then muster their strength to face England on their home ground in an exhaustive five-Test series, all of this preceding their stints in the ever-dynamic Indian Premier League (IPL).
June’s skies will herald the T20 World Cup, and cricket’s saga will continue as India makes its way to Sri Lanka. In a celebration of cricket that promises to deliver exhilarating moments, the teams will go head-to-head in three One Day Internationals and an equal number of T20 Internationals—the precise dates of these encounters remain shrouded in anticipation, yet to be disclosed by the Sri Lanka Cricket authorities.
The island nation, revered for its passion for cricket, is set to play the gracious host to multiple teams—engaging Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand (in a double header), and the West Indies is a bustling cricket calendar. The year unfurls with Sri Lanka’s tour to Bangladesh within February and March, where the cricketing powerhouses will compete in two Tests, three ODIs, and as many T20Is.
Fuelling the excitement, soon after the duels with India in July, Sri Lanka is destined to grace English pitches in August and September for a three-Test series. Their cricketing odyssey continues with tours to South Africa, for two Tests in November-December, and a subsequent excursion to New Zealand, to indulge in a triplet of ODIs and T20Is from December into January 2025.
Sri Lanka’s cricketing tapestry in 2024 is rich and eventful—encompassing ten laudable Tests, a plethora of 21 ODIs, and no less than 18 T20 Internationals. It’s noteworthy that this count doesn’t include the fervor of the match-ups planned for the T20 World Cup.
July 2024 will buzz with excitement as Sri Lanka and India demonstrate their prowess in the promised white-ball series of three ODIs and T20Is, offering spectacular thrills. Sri Lanka then embarks upon its England tour for an intense Test series. September rekindles the island’s cricket flame as the New Zealanders visit for two Tests, followed by an October rendezvous with the West Indies squad. Not long after, New Zealand reenters the fray for more ODI and T20I action. Culminating the year will be the tours that see Sri Lankan cricketers seeking to assert their dominance in South African and Kiwi territories.
The announced schedule not only heaps a plethora of cricket for the Sri Lankan fans but also ensures that the players remain in the thick of international competition. With the turn of each page on the 2024 cricket calendar, distinct chapters of rivalry, sportsmanship, and the sheer love for the game are set to be written across a multitude of pitches and in front of legions of fans from around the world.