India to play Sri Lanka, Bangladesh in tri-series under revised schedule

Despite all the talks of cramped schedule with which the Indian team management ended the year 2017, it seems like there is no respite for the Indian team. Immediately after the ongoing South Africa series, where the side will look to bounce back in the limited-overs format after losing the three-match series 2-0, Kohli and company will play in the Tri-series tournament versus Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The Tri-nation tournament, named Nidahas Trophy, is set to begin on March 6 after a revised schedule for the tournament was announced. All the matches will be played at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

To kick off the tournament, which will be played in celebration of Sri Lanka’s 70th year of independence, India will take on the island nation in the opener. It will be a round robin format with all the three teams playing each other twice and the top two progressing to the March 18 final.

"70 years is a long journey and one that needs to be commemorated and celebrated. We are happy that our closest neighbours, who share more or less the same journey of independence are joining us in this celebration, which we believe will be a milestone and an augur of the great things to come in the annals of cricket," said SLC President, Thilanga Sumathipala, who is the visionary behind this 2018 edition as well as the Nidahas Trophy 1998, which was played in celebration of Sri Lanka's and Sri Lanka Cricket's 50th year.