India, Sri Lanka, South Africa to play women’s ODI tri-series in April-May

Sri Lanka will host India and South Africa for a women’s ODI tri-series in April and May, the Sri Lanka Cricket [SLC] announced on Thursday. This tri-series was not part of the Future Tours Programme originally.

Each team will play the others twice – making it four matches per team – before the top two teams play the final. The series will start with hosts Sri Lanka taking on India. All of them will be day games, played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo from April 27 to May 11.

Sri Lanka are currently on a white-ball tour of New Zealand,  while most of India’s players are participating in the WPL at home. Some South African players are also at the WPL. Until this tri-series was announced, South Africa’s next international assignment was a tour of the West Indies in June.

This tri-series will give the three teams extra prep time in the lead up to the ODI World Cup in October this year in India.

Sri Lanka are currently the Asia Cup champions, while South Africa had reached the semi-finals of the last ODI World Cup, in 2022, after knocking India out in the league stages. India are, however, the highest-ranked of the three at third – South Africa are fourth and Sri Lanka seventh – in the ICC ODI rankings.

Sri Lanka women’s tri-series schedule

April 27, Sri Lanka vs India
April 29, India vs South Africa
May 1, Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 4, Sri Lanka vs India
May 6, South Africa vs India
May 8, Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 11, final