Xtra Time Web Desk: Cricket in the United States is set to receive a big boost as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has agreed to send the Indian cricket team to Florida to play two T20Is on their upcoming tour of the West Indies. This comes after the BCCI decided to add two more matches to the team’s itinerary, making it a full-fledged tour since the IPL 2023.
The tour of the West Indies will include 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 5 T20Is, with the series likely to kick off with the Tests on July 12. The original schedule was for 2 Tests, 3 ODIs, and 3 T20s, but with the addition of two more T20s, it will now be a 10-match tour. The final two T20Is will be played at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium in Florida on August 12 and August 13, respectively, as per Cricbuzz.
The series is part of the ICC’s new Future Tours Program (FTP), with the Tests counting towards the ICC World Test Championships 2023-25. The ODI series will serve as a preparation ground for the ODI World Cup later in the year, and the T20s will give India the opportunity to assess their prospects and the playing conditions, as both the West Indies and the United States are set to host the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Following the series in the West Indies, Indian team will then travel to Ireland for a three-match T20I series. A second-string squad is expected to travel, given the 5-day gap between the two tours. Cricket Ireland has confirmed that the three matches will be played between August 18-23, with a schedule confirmation from the Cricket West Indies (CWI) expected shortly.