New Delhi, November 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Visakhapatnam has replaced New Delhi as the venue for the first men’s ODI between India and Sri Lanka, scheduled for December 13, the BCCI announced on Thursday. The match will now be played at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, with the date and start time unchanged.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said the venue was changed following a request from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) due to the possibility of weather disruptions and proposed renovation work at the stadium.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium is undergoing a planned overhaul of its drainage system. The work also includes converting the soil-based outfield into a sand-based one, relaying the pitches and recultivating the outfield grass.
The renovation has already affected Delhi’s domestic cricket schedule. The city’s Ranji Trophy matches were shifted to the Air Force Ground in Palam, while its hosting rights for league-stage matches of the ongoing Senior Women’s T20 Trophy were handed over to Surat.
Air pollution in the national capital was also reportedly a concern, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) expected to rise above 350 in December. Poor air quality had disrupted the India-Sri Lanka Test in New Delhi in December 2017, when several Sri Lankan players were seen vomiting on the field.
After the opening ODI in Visakhapatnam, the remaining matches will be played in Bengaluru on December 16 and Ahmedabad on December 19. The three-match T20I series will follow, with games scheduled in Rajkot on December 22, Cuttack on December 24 and Pune on December 27.
All three ODIs will begin at 2 p.m., while the T20Is are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
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