India’s women’s cricket calendar for 2026 received a major boost after the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced a landmark white-ball series against Zimbabwe, marking the first-ever bilateral international meeting between the two nations in women’s cricket. Zimbabwe Women are scheduled to tour India in October 2026 for a six-match white-ball series consisting of three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals. The ODI leg of the tour will form part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29 cycle, adding further importance to the historic contest.
The announcement reflects the continued expansion of women’s cricket globally, with emerging nations receiving greater opportunities to compete against established teams on the international stage. For Zimbabwe, the tour represents another significant step in their rebuilding process as they look to strengthen their presence in world cricket. The series will begin with three T20Is in Raipur on October 16, 18, and 20. The action will then shift to Baroda, where the teams will face off in three ODIs on October 23, 25, and 28.
While India and Zimbabwe have crossed paths in ICC tournaments at age-group and developmental levels, the senior women’s teams have never previously met in an official bilateral series. Zimbabwe’s first-ever women’s tour to India therefore, carries historic significance for both boards. The inclusion of the ODI matches in the ICC Women’s Championship is particularly important because the competition serves as the qualification pathway for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Every point earned in the championship directly impacts World Cup qualification standings, making the series more than just a developmental assignment.
The Indian women’s team has continued to expand its international calendar over the past few years amid the growing popularity of the women’s game in the country. The launch of the Women’s Premier League in 2023 played a major role in accelerating interest, infrastructure, and investment around women’s cricket in India. The BCCI has since increased its focus on providing regular international exposure across senior and junior levels. Zimbabwe Women, meanwhile, have been working steadily to rebuild their cricket structure after returning to ICC pathways in recent years. The side has shown progress in African regional competitions and ICC qualifiers, with players gaining valuable international exposure through tours and global tournaments. The tour announcement was part of a broader international home season schedule released by the BCCI, which also confirmed multiple India A and Under-19 assignments across men’s and women’s cricket.
Australia A and England A women’s teams are both scheduled to tour India later in the year for an all-format series. Australia A will travel in September and October, while England A are expected in November and December. Both tours will include three T20 matches, three List A fixtures and a multi-day game. These India A tours are expected to play an important role in building bench strength for the senior women’s side by giving domestic players exposure against high-quality international opposition.
The India Under-19 women’s team is also set for a busy season. Sri Lanka Under-19 Women will tour India in June and July for three T20 matches and three 50-over games. England Under-19 Women will then visit later in the year for a five-match T20 series.
For Zimbabwe Women, the upcoming India tour could prove transformational. Playing in Indian conditions against one of the strongest sides in world cricket offers invaluable experience to a team still seeking consistency at the highest level.
For India, the series presents another opportunity to test squad depth, rotate players, and continue building combinations ahead of future ICC events.
Zimbabwe Women’s Tour of India:
T20I Series:
16 October, 1st T20I, Raipur
18 October, 2nd T20I, Raipur
20 October, 3rd T20I, Raipur
ODI Series:
23 October, 1st ODI, Baroda
25 October, 2nd ODI, Baroda
28 October, 3rd ODI, Baroda
