Cricket South Africa (CSA) may be compelled to curtail their only men's international home series this summer - against West Indies - to let both teams make it to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka on time.
The Proteas are scheduled to host West Indies for five T20Is between January 27 and February 6. However, according to reports, the T20 World Cup is set to be played from February 7 to March 8. If the multi-team competition does get underway on February 7, the ICC's support period - the time
during which teams are expected to arrive in the host countries and play non-obligatory warm-up matches - starts on January 31.
That has moved up from February 3, and CSA had drawn up their home fixtures with the understanding that South Africa would have ample time to travel to the T20 World Cup.
It is not compulsory for teams to spend the entire ICC support period in one of the host venues. The ICC has asked participating nations to list how many warm-up matches they are willing to play, with options ranging from zero to two.
Only if a country asks for two warm-up matches will the support period become one week before the curtain raiser of the tournament. CSA is currently holding conversations with Cricket West Indies to know when West Indies want to reach the subcontinent and how many warm-up matches they are planning to play there. If teams opt for no warm-up games, the ICC support period is four days before the first match on February 7, which is February 3.
Even if the West Indies decide that the series against South Africa will be enough to prepare for the 20-team World Cup, South Africa will need to do away with at least the last two T20Is. The fourth and fifth T20Is are scheduled to be held on February 4 and 6, respectively.
CSA does not have the option to prepone the series as the fourth edition of SA20 will end on January 25. Meanwhile, South Africa are not playing too many matches at home this summer to prepare their venues for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Drop-in pitches are being developed for the venues. Next season, South Africa will have a busier calendar, playing ten home Tests (eight men's and two women's), including three-match series against Australia and England.
