Published: Jan 21, 2016, 01:38 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 21, 2016, 01:48 PM (IST)
India and Sri Lanka will face off in a three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series to be played on February 9, 12, and 14 at Pune, Delhi, and Visakhapatnam. The series will be an excellent build-up for the upcoming ICC World T20 2016 to be hosted by India. Sri Lanka are the reigning World T20 champions, having beaten India in the final of ICC World T20 2014. The 2016 edition of the tournament will be played from March 8 to April 3 this year. India are currently playing a bilateral One-Day International (ODI) and T20I series in Australia, and will return to host Sri Lanka barely a week later.
Earlier, MCA President Ajay Shirke had said of the Pune T20I, “This year MCA is delighted to announce that cricket action will be across all forms that the game is played. While official international encounters T20I, an ODI and a Test add spice, the Indian Premier League will have a full schedule of ‘home’ matches unfold courtesy the new Pune franchise, while the Ranji Trophy final will be historic as it would be only the second time ever that the city will host this showpiece BCCI tournament final.”
The India-Sri Lanka T20I will be the third match played at the stadium. There was earlier a T20I between India and England played there in 2012 and then an ODI between India and Australia ODI 2013. There are three major fixtures that will be played at the MCA stadium, which follows the BCCI granting Test status to the association in November last year.
