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Zimbabwe open India's 2027 calendar with a three-match ODI series from 3 to 9 January 2027. It is their first bilateral tour of India since 2002. The series covers three of the country's great cricket cities in a single week: Kolkata's Eden Gardens, Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium and Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
The 2027 ODI World Cup is on the horizon, with Zimbabwe as co-hosts, so these are meaningful 50-over games for both sides. For a travelling fan, the trip offers day-night cricket in the best weather of the Indian year, two packed historic grounds, and a short, easy itinerary that fits into a week's leave.
The series is organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), hosting Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). It was announced in March 2026 as part of India's 2026-27 home season, which also brings West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia to the country. It is a straight three-match ODI series with no Tests or T20Is, and the trophy goes to the side that wins more of the three games.
All three matches are day-night games starting at 2:00 PM local time (08:30 GMT), so the first innings is played in the afternoon sun and the second under floodlights. Two rest days separate each match, which leaves enough time for the short flights between Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
The rivalry began at the 1983 World Cup, when Kapil Dev's unbeaten 175 at Tunbridge Wells rescued India from 17 for 5 against Zimbabwe on the way to their first world title. Since then the teams have met 66 times in ODIs. India have won 54, Zimbabwe 10, and two matches have been tied. Zimbabwe's most famous win came at the 1999 World Cup in Leicester, where they beat India by three runs.
The two sides last played ODIs in Harare in August 2022, when India won 3-0 and Shubman Gill made his maiden ODI hundred. Zimbabwe's last full tour of India, in 2002, included Tests and ODIs. That makes January 2027 the first chance in a generation for Indian crowds to see Zimbabwe in a dedicated home series.
India is the world's most cricket-mad country, and its men's team are back-to-back T20 world champions after winning the title at home in March 2026. International matches draw passionate, noisy crowds, and the three cities on this tour are among the most knowledgeable cricket audiences anywhere.
Early January is one of the best times to visit. Kolkata is cool and dry, Hyderabad is mild and sunny, and Mumbai is warm without the summer humidity. The tour also takes in three very different Indias: colonial-era Kolkata on the Hooghly, Hyderabad's Nizam-era heritage and fast-growing tech districts, and Mumbai's seafront energy.
The series opens at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday 3 January 2027. It moves to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad for the second ODI on Wednesday 6 January, and finishes at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday 9 January. Every match starts at 2:00 PM local time, which is 08:30 GMT.
The two rest days between games make the series easy to follow city by city. After the Kolkata opener there is time for a day on the Hooghly or at the Indian Museum before flying south. Between Hyderabad and Mumbai there is room for an old-city food walk or a morning at Golconda. The Saturday finale suits fans who want to stay on for a weekend in Mumbai.
Founded in 1864, Eden Gardens is one of India's oldest and largest cricket grounds, with room for about 68,000 spectators. It hosted the 1987 World Cup final, and in 2014 Rohit Sharma made the highest individual score in ODI history here, 264 against Sri Lanka. Kolkata gives visitors the Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge, the College Street book market and some of India's best street food, and the ground sits a short walk from the Maidan and the river.
Known locally as the Uppal Stadium, this ground in eastern Hyderabad holds about 39,200 and has been the city's international venue since 2005, taking over from the old Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium. It is home to Hyderabad's IPL franchise, and its true batting pitches tend to produce high scores. Away from the cricket, Hyderabad offers the Charminar, Golconda Fort, the Chowmahalla Palace and its famous biryani.
The 33,100-seat Wankhede sits a few minutes from Marine Drive in south Mumbai. It is where India won the 2011 World Cup final, and the home ground of Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai. Its tight stands and sea breeze make for one of the most intense atmospheres in the country. Mumbai's Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and an evening on Marine Drive are all within easy reach of the ground.
India's ODI side has been led by Shubman Gill this season. Experienced names such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja have featured alongside newer players. With the 2027 World Cup less than a year away, the selectors are likely to use the series to settle their combinations. Squads have not yet been named.
Zimbabwe are building towards a home World Cup in 2027, which they co-host with South Africa and Namibia. In September 2026 they hosted Australia for an ODI series. All-rounder Sikandar Raza stood in as captain because regular captain Richard Ngarava was injured. Their core includes Raza, Craig Ervine, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl and fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, with Brendan Taylor back in the squad. The touring party for India is still to be confirmed.
This is a rare series: Zimbabwe have not played a bilateral series in India in more than two decades. It is also a chance to see a full Eden Gardens and a packed Wankhede under lights in the same week. Both sides are fine-tuning for the World Cup, so expect India's stars and Zimbabwe's best players to be pushing for places.
The timing makes it easy to plan. With three matches in seven days and cool January weather, you can follow the whole series, add a few days of sightseeing in Mumbai at the end and still be home inside ten days.
Plan to travel from about 1 to 10 January 2027. Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai all have major international airports, and domestic flights between them take around two hours. Many fans fly into Kolkata for the opener and out of Mumbai after the finale. Early January follows the New Year holiday peak, so book flights and hotels early.
Most visitors need a visa, and many nationalities can apply online for an Indian e-Visa before travel. The currency is the Indian rupee. Evenings in Kolkata can be cool, so pack a light layer for the floodlit second innings, along with sun protection for afternoon starts.
CrickBuster packages handle the planning for you. Depending on the package, they include guaranteed official match tickets in general or hospitality seating, flights, accommodation, airport and stadium transfers, and excursions and sightseeing in each city, from a Kolkata heritage walk to Golconda Fort and Mumbai's seafront. Meet-and-greet and fan experiences are added where available.
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