Visakhapatnam has been confirmed as the new venue for the opening ODI between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 13, 2026. The match has officially been moved from New Delhi following concerns raised by the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA).
The DDCA approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), explaining that it would be difficult to stage the international fixture at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on the originally planned date. Concerns about Delhi’s air pollution and ongoing stadium renovation work contributed to the request.
Delhi Pollution Concerns Lead to Venue Change
Air quality in the national capital often deteriorates during the winter season, making outdoor sporting events a concern for players and officials.
The DDCA reportedly wanted to avoid a repeat of the difficulties experienced during India’s Test match against Sri Lanka in December 2017. During that game, several visiting players struggled with the poor air quality, raising concerns about the conditions in which international cricket was being played.
With December pollution levels again becoming a concern, the association requested that the BCCI move the opening ODI to another city.
The board has now selected Visakhapatnam to host the first match on December 13. The change means the three-match ODI series will begin on the eastern coast rather than in the national capital.
India vs Sri Lanka ODI and T20I Schedule
The venue change has not affected the dates of the remaining two ODIs. Bengaluru is still scheduled to host the second match on December 16, while Ahmedabad will stage the third ODI on December 19.
The second ODI will also take place on the same day as the IPL auction, although no change to its date has been announced.
Following the ODI series, India and Sri Lanka will meet in three T20 Internationals. Rajkot, Cuttack and Pune have been named as the venues for those matches.
The revised opening venue brings an end to uncertainty surrounding the Delhi fixture and allows preparations to continue for the December series.
Cricket fans can follow the latest fixtures, match results and live updates through Live Cricket Score.
With Visakhapatnam now set to host the series opener, attention will turn to the teams’ preparations for the upcoming white-ball contests.
