Australia-India women's series 2026: Hobart to host relocated 3rd ODI
What's the story
Cricket Australia has announced the relocation of the third women's ODI between Australia and India from Melbourne to Hobart. The match, originally scheduled as a day-night fixture at Junction Oval on March 1, will now be played at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. The decision comes after delays in installing new floodlights at Junction Oval and a tight schedule.
Tour details
A look at the original schedule
The multi-format India tour was planned around an Australian home window shifted to February-March due to the Women's Premier League (WPL) moving to January and the ODI World Cup later in the year. The original schedule included three T20Is in mid-February, followed by three ODIs (February 24, February 27, and March 1) and a day-night Test in Perth early March.
Installation issues
Why was the match moved?
The new floodlights at Junction Oval won't be ready in time for the match. The installation and commissioning work, along with spectator access during construction, made it unsafe or impractical to host an international match under lights on the scheduled date. Cricket Australia had expected the lights to be installed weeks ahead of this fixture.
Match relocation
CA expresses disappointment, ticket refunds announced
With only a day between the second and third ODIs, organizers decided against moving the March 1 fixture to a daytime start. Cricket Australia's head of operations, Peter Roach, expressed disappointment over losing a Melbourne international this season. Fans who bought tickets for the Junction Oval match will be refunded, Cricket Australia said in its statement.
Revised itinerary
Updated schedule for the India women's tour of Australia
The updated schedule for the India women's tour of Australia in 2026 is as follows: The first T20I will be played in Sydney on February 15, followed by the second T20I in Canberra on February 19 and the third one in Adelaide on February 21. The first ODI will be held in Brisbane on February 24, while Hobart will host two ODIs (February 27 and March 1). Finally, a Test match is scheduled to take place in Perth from March 6-9.