India to host Australia for three ODIs ahead of women's World Cup

Australia will tour India for a three-match ODI series in mid-September as part of both teams' "crucial preparation" for the women's ODI World Cup, scheduled to be played in India from late September.

The matches will be played at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk), the BCCI said in a statement on Thursday, on September 14, 17 and 20. The World Cup is scheduled to begin on September 29.

India, the hosts, and Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka had earned direct entry into the World Cup, while Bangladesh and Pakistan got there after topping a qualifying event in Pakistan earlier this year.

Pakistan's matches at the World Cup, however, are likely to be played at a neutral venue in accordance with the BCCI-PCB agreement made earlier this year before the Champions Trophy. The PCB was the host of that tournament, but all India matches, including the one against Pakistan, were played in Dubai.

India A, now in England to play two four-day matches against England Lions and then a four-day fixture against the main India Test team ahead of the five-match England vs India Test series, will have more cricket in September, October and November when Australia A and South Africa A visit.

Australia A will visit first and play two four-day games - starting September 16 and 23 - and three one-dayers, on September 30, October 3 and October 5. After a gap, South Africa A will play a similar set of matches, two four-dayers, starting November 2 and November 9, and three one-dayers, on November 13, 16 and 19.

The four-dayers between the Indians and Australians would be played in Lucknow, and the one-dayers in Kanpur, while all the India A vs South Africa A games would be played in Bengaluru. The two four-dayers are scheduled to be played at the BCCI's new Centre of Excellence (formerly the National Cricket Academy), making these the first competitive matches to be played at the facility.