Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have officially confirmed the schedule of India’s upcoming tour of Ireland, which promises to be an exciting mini-series in June. The current T20 World champions will play in Belfast for a two-match T20I series, marking their return to the Northern Irish city after almost two decades.
BCCI confirms Team India’s T20I series schedule for Ireland tour
BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia The announcement follows Cricket Ireland’s earlier confirmation of its summer calendar on Saturday. Both matches will be played at the same venue in Belfast, with the same timings – making it a short but high-intensity series.
The schedule of matches is as follows:
- 1st T20I: June 26, 2026 (Friday) – 7:30 PM IST / 3:00 PM Local Time
- 2nd T20I: June 28, 2026 (Sunday) – 7:30 PM IST / 3:00 PM Local Time
What makes this tour special is that India is returning to Belfast after 19 years. Although India have toured Ireland several times in recent years – notably in 2018, 2022 and 2023 – all those matches were played in Malahide, near Dublin. This time, there is an opportunity to bring Belfast into the mainstream, which adds a new dimension to the cricketing relations between the two countries.
“Team India (Senior Men) will tour Ireland for a two-match T20I series in June 2026. Having toured Ireland in the last eight years (2018, 2022 and 2023), this tour will mark India’s return to Belfast for the first time since 2007,” BCCI said in its official release.
For Northern Ireland fans, this is a rare opportunity to watch top-level international cricket, especially playing a high-profile team like India.
Important series for both India and Ireland, amid a busy international calendar
Apart from the schedule, the timing of this series makes it important for both teams – but for very different reasons.
For India, it t20 world cup 2026 title The win will be their first T20I assignment. After that victory, the team will look to maintain momentum and fine-tune the combinations ahead of a bigger challenge – a full white-ball tour to England in July. In many ways, the Ireland Series acts as a bridge between tournaments, providing an opportunity for players to get into a rhythm and experiment with strategies.
India’s calendar is already full ahead of this series. Before heading to Ireland, they will host a one-off Test and three-match ODI series against Afghanistan, which ends on June 20. Immediately following the Ireland tour, the team will travel to England for five T20Is and three ODIs, which will be played at various venues, including Lord’s.
However, for Ireland, this series represents something deeper – a new beginning. The team is currently in a transition period, following a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, where they were eliminated in the group stage with only one win. Long serving T20I captain paul sterling has resigned from the leadership, giving an opportunity to the new captain to take over the responsibility.
On the field, Ireland’s cricket calendar is also expanding rapidly. The India series is part of a busy home summer, which also includes a single Test against New Zealand and a five-match ODI series against Afghanistan in August. Additionally, the Irish team is planning tours of Nepal and UAE as well as a historic multi-format tour of Pakistan in early 2027.
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