The cricketing scene in Sri Lanka is gearing up for an action-packed 2024 season, with a plethora of international matches spread throughout the year. The island nation is set to play host to a robust schedule that will see its men’s team engage in 10 Tests, 21 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Among the forthcoming fixtures, the highly anticipated six-match white-ball tour by India is certain to be the season’s marquee event. This comes alongside the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, which is slated to occur in the picturesque locales of the Caribbean and the United States during the June-July period.
Sri Lanka’s 2024 cricket calendar will take off with a white-ball series at home against Zimbabwe in the month of January. The series will offer a balanced composition of three ODIs and three T20Is, providing the teams a chance to set the competitive pace for the year. Not long after the Zimbabwe challenge, the Lankan squad will prepare to face Afghanistan in a multi-format series that features an intriguing one-off Test, three ODIs, and three T20Is throughout January and February.
The Sri Lankan team will then set foot on foreign soil, embarking on their first away tour of the season to Bangladesh. The itinerary includes a two-Test series, which will bring the quintessential excitement of red-ball cricket, complemented by the white-ball thrill with three encounters in both the ODI and T20I formats.
Sri Lanka’s participation in the 2024 T20 World Cup offers a global stage to showcase their flair in the sport’s shortest format. The event spread across multiple venues in West Indies and the USA is a chance for the team to amass global support and bring home the prestigious title.
Following the world event, the Indian cricket team will arrive on Sri Lankan shores for the high-profile white-ball series, an event brimming with rivalry and excitement. Beyond this headline event, the team will journey to England, casting their sights on a challenging three-Test series. However, the squad will be quick to return to their home turf, where they will rekindle their red-ball rivalry with New Zealand across two Tests.
The international encounters continue as Sri Lanka will confront New Zealand once more in November, this time for the white-ball leg of their mutual series. In October, Sri Lankan fans will have the treat of witnessing their team take on the West Indies in a series that includes three ODIs and three T20Is.
Wrapping up the year, the Sri Lankan team will embark on a tour to South Africa for a two-match Test series, capped off by a return face-off in the white-ball formats against New Zealand.
“We are heading into a highly exciting year with a lot of international cricket to be played, which augurs well for us, as our team will be engaged in competitive cricket year-round,” expressed Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket. He further emphasized the comprehensive nature of the 2024 calendar, anticipating it to furnish the players with ample playing opportunities while offering fans boundless entertainment and providing sponsors with outstanding exposure.
The exhaustive schedule for Sri Lanka’s men’s team in 2024 underscores the resurgence of international cricket within the nation and reflects the continual growth and development of the sport on the island. With Sri Lanka poised to welcome cricketing giants and engage in globetrotting tournaments, the stage is set for a year of thrilling encounters and unforgettable memories for players, fans, and sponsors alike.