AUS vs IND: Third Women’s ODI shifted to Hobart due to Floodlight delays in Melbourne
The third India vs Australia women’s ODI has been moved from Melbourne to Hobart due to delays in floodlight installation.
Cricket Australia has moved the third women's ODI between Australia and India, which was supposed to be a day-night match at Melbourne's Junction Oval on March 1, 2026, to Hobart's Bellerive Oval. The change comes due to delays in installing new floodlights at Junction Oval and the constraints of a tight tour schedule.
The multi-format India tour was arranged around an Australian home window and moved to February–March to accommodate the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in January and the ODI World Cup later in the year. The original itinerary included three T20Is in mid-February, three ODIs on February 24, 27, and March 1, followed by a day-night Test in Perth in early March. However, Junction Oval’s new floodlights will not be ready in time, with installation, commissioning, and spectator access issues making a day-night international unsafe and impractical on the scheduled date.
With just one day between the second and third ODIs, organizers concluded that switching the March 1 fixture to a daytime start was not feasible. Cricket Australia’s head of operations, Peter Roach, expressed disappointment at losing a Melbourne international, saying, “We are disappointed we have had to move this match from Junction Oval and that there will be no women's international match in Melbourne this season. We anticipated the Junction Oval lights would be installed several weeks before this fixture and were looking forward to celebrating the first international match under lights at the ground.”
Hobart to Host Back-to-Back ODIs
Hobart will now host back-to-back ODIs in the series, simplifying travel and accommodation logistics for teams, broadcasters, and officials. Cricket Australia has also confirmed that fans who purchased tickets for the Junction Oval fixture will receive refunds.
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Junction Oval’s calendar will remain busy, hosting WBBL fixtures for Melbourne Stars and Renegades and other domestic daytime cricket, while the lights installation project continues. The updated schedule for India Women’s tour of Australia 2026 is:
- February 15 – 1st T20I – Sydney
- February 19 – 2nd T20I – Canberra
- February 21 – 3rd T20I – Adelaide
- February 24 – 1st ODI – Brisbane
- February 27 – 2nd ODI – Hobart
- March 1 – 3rd ODI – Hobart
- March 6-9 – Test Match – Perth
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