The landscape of international cricket continues to evolve, and the latest announcement from Sri Lanka Cricket is setting the stage for an exciting 2024 season. The prominent highlight is Sri Lanka’s confirmation of hosting India for a compelling bilateral series in the following year. The tour, scheduled for July, will involve both teams engaging in an intense battle in a series that will comprise of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
This exhilarating series between the two cricketing powerhouses, “The Men in Blue” and “The Island Nation”, is timed right after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup slated for June 2024, which will be held across the West Indies and the United States. The last encounter between these two sides on Sri Lankan soil took place in 2021, when the touring Indian team, under the captaincy of Shikhar Dhawan, emerged victorious in the ODI series by a margin of 2-1 but had to face an equivalent defeat in the T20I series.
The announcement came through a series of posts on Sri Lanka Cricket’s official social media accounts. The tweet detailed part of the Sri Lanka Men’s 2024 Future Tours Program, marking the beginning of an action-packed calendar year. The Island Nation is set to open its international cricket season by hosting Zimbabwe in January 2024, engaging in a series that will feature both ODI and T20I matches.
Beyond the much-anticipated India series, the Sri Lankan team has a busy year ahead with 10 Test matches planned within the context of the World Test Championship (WTC), alongside a total of 21 ODIs and 21 T20Is, not including its T20 World Cup commitments. Particularly daunting will be their three-Test overseas series against England, seen as a significant challenge within the current World Test Championship. Furthermore, the two-Test series against South Africa in November will likely be another watershed moment for the team.
The unveiling of these fixtures comes at a critical juncture for Sri Lankan cricket, which is aiming to bolster its standing after a disheartening performance at the World Cup held in India. There, Sri Lanka found itself at the ninth position and, as a consequence, did not qualify for the prestigious Champions Trophy 2025, expected to be hosted by Pakistan.
However, this pursuit of redemption on the global stage has been jolted by administrative upheavals. Following the disappointing World Cup outings, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe took the dramatic step of disbanding the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, subsequently establishing an interim committee helmed by famed cricketing icon Arjuna Ranatunga. This move was swiftly countered when Sri Lanka’s courts issued a stay order on the gazette that dissolved the board, reinstating it for a period of 14 days.
The administrative turmoil took another turn when the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended the cricket board due to extensive government interference. This suspension was immediate, sparking concerns over the governance of the sport within the country.
While the boardroom battles and court rulings have drawn considerable attention, fans and players alike will hope for stability in Sri Lanka’s cricket governance, allowing the team to focus on the upcoming series and competitions. The commitment to a full-fledged international schedule suggests a strong desire to move past these challenges and restore the once dominant status of Sri Lankan cricket on the world stage.
As things gradually settle, all eyes will be on the July series where Sri Lanka will look to assert its prowess against a formidable Indian team. With both sides featuring some of the world’s premier white-ball cricketers, the series promises high-octane cricketing action that will draw in crowds from across the globe, adding another memorable chapter to the storied rivalry between these two nations.