India vs Sri Lanka: Head to Head Record, December 2026 Series Schedule and Full History
India vs Sri Lanka Figures on this page are stated with the date they were accurate to. Fixtures come from BCCI announcements.
Sri Lanka tour India from 13 to 27 December 2026 for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals. It is the last international assignment of India’s calendar year and the final white-ball series before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India and Sri Lanka have played each other more often in one-day cricket than any other pairing India has faced, and India’s record against them is their best in the format. This page covers the confirmed series window, the head-to-head position, the August 2026 Test series in Sri Lanka, and what the December fixtures decide.
For India’s complete fixture list this season, see the India cricket team schedule 2026-27.
Sri Lanka tour of India 2026: schedule
| Fixture | Date | Venue | City | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | 13 December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Series window confirmed |
| 2nd ODI | December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Reported |
| 3rd ODI | December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Reported |
| 1st T20I | December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Reported |
| 2nd T20I | December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Reported |
| 3rd T20I | 27 December 2026 | TBC | TBC | Series window confirmed |
The BCCI has confirmed the series as three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals across 13 to 27 December 2026, as part of a home season covering 22 matches in 17 cities. Individual match dates and venues follow closer to the tour.
There is no Test cricket in this series.
India vs Sri Lanka head to head: what is verified
One-day internationals
India and Sri Lanka have met 171 times in one-day internationals, with India winning 99 for a win percentage of 57.89. Correct as of 18 January 2026.
Those two facts carry more weight than they first appear to. Sri Lanka are India’s most frequent one-day opponent of any nation, and 99 wins is India’s highest win total against any side in the format. This is simultaneously the most-played and the most one-sided of India’s major one-day rivalries.
Tests and Twenty20 Internationals
Verification required before publishing. Fill from ESPNcricinfo head-to-head records with the date attached.
| Format | Matches played | India won | Sri Lanka won | Drawn or no result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | ||||
| ODI | 171 | 99 | ||
| T20I |
Why the volume is so high
Sri Lanka and India are neighbouring full members in the same ICC region, sharing a time zone and a broadcast market. Bilateral series between them are cheap to stage, commercially reliable and easy to schedule around larger commitments. Asia Cup editions and triangular tournaments have added further meetings on top of the bilateral programme.
The result is a fixture that carries less competitive weight per match than India against Australia or England, but which produces a far larger sample of matches.
India in Sri Lanka, August 2026
India toured Sri Lanka in August 2026 for two Tests and won the series 1-0.
| Match | Dates | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tour match | 7 to 9 August 2026 | Colombo | India beat Sri Lanka Cricket XI by 6 wickets |
| 1st Test | 15 to 19 August 2026 | Galle | India won by 165 runs |
| 2nd Test | 23 to 27 August 2026 | Colombo | Match drawn |
At Galle, India made 462 and 193, and dismissed Sri Lanka for 284 and 206 chasing 372.
At Colombo, India declared on 503 for 9 and enforced the follow-on. Sri Lanka had been dismissed for 290 in their first innings and batted through to 429 for 9 across 154 overs in the second to save the match.
That series was part of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, which concludes with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027 in India.
The December series is therefore the second time these sides meet inside five months, in a different country and a different format.
What the December series decides
The last one-day cricket of 2026
India’s 50-over programme before the 2027 World Cup is limited. Three matches against the West Indies in September and October, five in New Zealand in November, three against Sri Lanka in December and three against Zimbabwe in January.
The Sri Lanka series is the third of those four blocks. By the time it starts, selectors will have seen the New Zealand tour and will have a clearer view of the squad. This is where fringe candidates run out of chances.
Rotation is close to certain
The series begins on 13 December, twelve days after India’s Test in Christchurch finishes. India will have played twelve matches in New Zealand across six weeks, including two Tests, and then flown home.
If you are trying to guess which senior players will be rested, the answer is usually whoever played the most cricket in New Zealand. Full detail on that tour is in the India vs New Zealand head to head guide.
The final fixture before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
The third Twenty20 International on 27 December is India’s last international of the calendar year. The next assignment after it is the Zimbabwe one-day series in January, and then Australia arrive.
Sri Lanka’s position
Sri Lanka remain a strong side in home conditions and a more variable proposition away. Their spin resources have been the most consistent part of their attack across formats, and Indian pitches in December do not disadvantage them.
The August Test series demonstrated the pattern. Sri Lanka were beaten comprehensively at Galle and then batted for 154 overs in the second innings at Colombo to draw the second Test. Resistance rather than dominance, but effective resistance.
In white-ball cricket the gap has generally been wider, reflected in the 99 to 72 shape of the one-day record.
Start times for India vs Sri Lanka 2026
India and Sri Lanka share the same time zone, so local start times are identical in both countries.
| Region | ODI (2:00pm IST) | T20I (7:00pm IST) |
|---|---|---|
| India (IST) | 2:00 pm | 7:00 pm |
| Sri Lanka | 2:00 pm | 7:00 pm |
| Pakistan (PKT) | 1:30 pm | 6:30 pm |
| UAE (GST) | 12:30 pm | 5:30 pm |
| Saudi Arabia (AST) | 11:30 am | 4:30 pm |
| United Kingdom (GMT, December) | 8:30 am | 1:30 pm |
| US Eastern (EST, December) | 3:30 am | 8:30 am |
| US Pacific (PST, December) | 12:30 am | 5:30 am |
| Australia Eastern (AEDT) | 7:30 pm | 12:30 am next day |
December fixtures fall in British and North American winter, so GMT and EST apply rather than the summer offsets.
Full timing tables for every series this season are on the India cricket team schedule page.
Tickets
Sri Lanka series in India rarely sell out the way an Australia or England tour does. If you have been priced out of Border-Gavaskar Trophy tickets, this is the realistic alternative for watching India live at home this season.
Buy through the official portal announced by the host state association. Photo identification matching the booking name is required at most Indian grounds, and prohibited-items lists commonly exclude professional cameras, outside food and drink, and large bags.
Venues have not yet been announced, so ticket portals are not yet live.
Where to watch
In India and Sri Lanka, home internationals fall under the BCCI’s domestic broadcast contract, currently held by the Star Sports network for television with the associated streaming platform for digital.
In the Gulf, regional sports broadcasters carry the host feed. UK and North American rights have moved between holders in recent cycles and should be checked for this specific series.
The rivalry in context
Why it is not treated as a rivalry
India against Sri Lanka produces more matches than any other one-day pairing India contests, but it does not carry the cultural weight of India against Pakistan or the competitive edge of India against Australia. The disparity in the record is one reason. Frequency is another: a fixture played this often struggles to feel like an event.
The moments that did matter
The 2011 World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium is the highest-stakes meeting between the sides, and India won it. The 2002 Champions Trophy final was shared between the two teams after rain, making them joint champions, which is the only time India have shared an ICC title.
Sri Lanka have also produced significant wins, and the sides have contested multiple Asia Cup finals.
What December 2026 adds
Very little competitively, on the historical evidence. What it adds for India is one more sample of one-day cricket at exactly the point where a World Cup squad has to be settled, and a low-risk block in which to rest players before Australia arrive.
Frequently asked questions
When does Sri Lanka tour India in 2026?
From 13 to 27 December 2026, for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals.
Does India play Tests against Sri Lanka in December 2026?
No. The December series is white-ball only. India and Sri Lanka played a two-Test series in Sri Lanka in August 2026, which India won 1-0.
What is the India vs Sri Lanka ODI head to head record?
India and Sri Lanka have met 171 times in one-day internationals with India winning 99, a win percentage of 57.89, correct as of 18 January 2026. Sri Lanka are India’s most frequent one-day opponent and India’s 99 wins against them are their highest total against any side in the format.
Who won the India vs Sri Lanka Test series in August 2026?
India, 1-0. India won the first Test at Galle by 165 runs and the second Test in Colombo was drawn after Sri Lanka batted through the fourth and fifth days following on.
What are the venues for the India vs Sri Lanka series 2026?
Not yet announced. The BCCI has confirmed the series window of 13 to 27 December and typically publishes venues four to six weeks ahead of each fixture.
When is India’s last match of 2026?
The third Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka on 27 December 2026.
Will India rest players for this series?
Rotation is likely. The series begins twelve days after India finish a twelve-match tour of New Zealand that includes two Tests, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy follows in January.
What time is India vs Sri Lanka in the UK?
One-day internationals at 8:30am and Twenty20 Internationals at 1:30pm, based on standard Indian start times and December being Greenwich Mean Time in Britain.
How many ODIs do India play before the 2027 World Cup?
Three against the West Indies, five in New Zealand, three against Sri Lanka and three against Zimbabwe, plus any fixtures announced later. That limited run is the entire selection window.
Have India and Sri Lanka ever shared a trophy?
Yes. The 2002 Champions Trophy final was washed out and the two sides were declared joint champions. It is the only shared ICC title in India’s record.
Where other pages get this series wrong
Wrong series dates
Some pages list the Sri Lanka tour of India as running from late November to late December 2026. The BCCI’s confirmed window is 13 to 27 December.
Invented venues
No venues have been announced for this series. Pages giving you specific grounds for the one-day internationals or the Twenty20 Internationals are guessing, and the guesses in circulation do not agree with each other.
Adding Test matches
The December series is white-ball only. India and Sri Lanka played their Test cricket for this cycle in Sri Lanka in August 2026.
Undated head-to-head numbers
A one-day head-to-head total that does not carry a date is unreliable, because the sides play each other more often than any other pairing in India’s calendar. The figure verified on this page, 171 matches with India winning 99, is correct as of 18 January 2026.
How to follow the series live
The BCCI publishes venue and fixture confirmations on its own channels. For a series where venues are unannounced two months out, that is the source to watch rather than aggregator listings.
India and Sri Lanka share a time zone, so no conversion is needed between the two markets. Broadcast in India runs through the BCCI’s domestic contract.
Players to watch
For India
By December, India will have played eight home white-ball matches against the West Indies and twelve matches in New Zealand. The squad that takes the field against Sri Lanka will tell you which players have survived that stretch in selection thinking and which have not.
This is also the last chance for anyone outside the one-day group to force a reconsideration before the Zimbabwe series and then the Border-Gavaskar Trophy occupy the calendar.
For Sri Lanka
Spin remains the most consistent part of Sri Lanka’s attack across formats, and Indian pitches in December do not disadvantage them. Their batting has been the more variable department.
The August Test series showed the pattern clearly: comprehensively beaten at Galle, then 154 overs of second-innings resistance at Colombo to save the second Test.
The Asia Cup and tournament context
India and Sri Lanka have met repeatedly in Asia Cup editions, which adds substantially to their head-to-head volume beyond the bilateral programme. The tournament rotates hosts and formats, and both sides treat it as a significant assignment rather than a warm-up.
That tournament history is part of why the raw match count between these two is so much higher than between India and any other opponent, and why a career aggregate needs the context of when and where those matches were played.
The 2027 World Cup picture
| Series | Window | ODIs |
|---|---|---|
| West Indies at home | September to October 2026 | 3 |
| New Zealand away | November 2026 | 5 |
| Sri Lanka at home | December 2026 | 3 |
| Zimbabwe at home | January 2027 | 3 |
Fourteen one-day internationals across four months, and then the calendar turns to Test cricket. That is the entire runway.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have both retired from Tests and Twenty20 Internationals and continue in one-day cricket, and neither has been publicly guaranteed a World Cup place despite strong recent form. The Sri Lanka series is the second-to-last block before that decision hardens.
Glossary
ODI: One Day International, fifty overs per side.
Follow-on: the option for a side leading by 200 or more after the first innings of a Test to make the opposition bat again immediately. India enforced it at Colombo in August 2026.
Asia Cup: the continental tournament contested by Asian full and associate members, alternating between one-day and Twenty20 formats.
Joint champions: the outcome of the 2002 Champions Trophy final, washed out and shared between India and Sri Lanka. It is the only shared ICC title in India’s record.
Conditions in India in December
December is the most comfortable month of the Indian domestic season for cricket and for spectators, and it changes how white-ball matches play.
Northern venues cool substantially, and evening fixtures in Delhi, Mohali or Lucknow can be genuinely cold under lights, with heavy dew from the second innings onward. Southern and western venues stay warmer and produce less dew. That geographic split matters, because it determines whether the toss is close to decisive or close to irrelevant.
Pitches in December generally favour batting, with spin taking effect gradually rather than from the start. Morning starts for day one-day internationals can offer seam movement in the first hour at northern grounds.
Until the BCCI announces venues, none of this can be applied to a specific fixture. It is the reason venue announcements matter more for this series than for one played in a single climatic zone.
More frequently asked questions
Is the India vs Sri Lanka series part of any tournament?
No. It is a bilateral series outside any ICC event, though the one-day matches carry weight for India’s 2027 World Cup planning.
How many times have India and Sri Lanka played each other?
More often in one-day cricket than any other pairing India contests, at 171 meetings as of 18 January 2026. Test and Twenty20 aggregates should be checked against a dated source.
Where will the matches be played?
Not yet announced. The BCCI confirmed the 13 to 27 December window as part of its 22-match home season across 17 cities and typically publishes venues four to six weeks ahead.
Does this series affect the World Test Championship?
No. There is no Test cricket in it. India’s Test cricket in this cycle continues in New Zealand in November and concludes against Australia in early 2027.
Which is the better series to attend, this or the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
If you want atmosphere and the biggest occasion, the Australia Tests. If you want to actually get tickets at face value, this one.
Related pages
- India cricket team schedule 2026-27: every fixture across every opponent
- India vs New Zealand head to head: the tour immediately before this series
- India vs Australia head to head: the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that follows in January
About this page
The one-day head-to-head figure is stated with the date it was accurate to. The Test and Twenty20 aggregates are left as verification blocks rather than filled with an estimate, because several widely-circulated versions of those numbers disagree with each other and an undated total is unreliable by definition.
Fixture data comes from BCCI announcements. If a date changes, this page changes with it and the correction is noted at the top.
