Cricket Fixtures This Week: Oct. 26–Nov. 1, 2026

This schedule covers Monday, October 26, through Sunday, November 1, 2026. It focuses on confirmed senior internationals with major Test or international tournament context. Times below show the venue’s local time and UTC so readers can plan across time zones. The schedule was checked on October 26; confirm each official match center before play in case a board posts an update.

Which cricket fixtures are the main ones this week?

Why is South Africa vs. Australia the week’s headline Test?

The third Test at Newlands is the series decider. Australia won the opening Test in Durban, and South Africa responded with an innings victory in Gqeberha, leaving the series tied at one win apiece. The five-day match is scheduled for October 27–31, with the first ball set for 10:30 a.m. in Cape Town, South Africa Standard Time (UTC+02:00), or 08:30 UTC. The ICC match center for South Africa vs. Australia lists the venue and start, while the ICC series preview and schedule confirms the 1–1 scoreline and dates.

That makes this more than another stop in a bilateral tour: it is the final Test of the series and part of the current World Test Championship cycle. A series decider can turn on familiar Test-cricket questions: can the top order absorb the new ball, how quickly can a side score when conditions allow, and can the bowling attack keep pressure on through long spells? The official schedule confirms the match dates and ground; it does not guarantee how the pitch or weather will play, so treat those as viewing points rather than predictions.

What else is worth following?

Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and England continue their ODI tri-series

The tri-series brings three national teams together in Pakistan as part of their build-up to the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. During this week’s round-robin schedule, Pakistan meets Sri Lanka in Lahore on October 27, followed by Sri Lanka vs. England on October 29. The top two teams then meet in the final on October 31 at the same ground. The finalists are not named in the schedule, so check the official scorecards once qualification is settled rather than assuming which sides will advance. The ECB’s published tri-series schedule confirms the dates and venues; the ECB follow-and-watch guide lists England’s Lahore match times. Pakistan’s official PCB schedule is the place to check the other match listing and its live scorecard.

For the two Lahore games involving England and for the final, the published start is 8:00 a.m. UTC, which converts to 1:00 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time (UTC+05:00) on those dates. The October 27 Pakistan–Sri Lanka match is also listed for an 08:00 UTC start. The final’s teams remain subject to the round-robin standings.

India Women close the Zimbabwe ODI series

India Women and Zimbabwe Women meet in the third and final ODI on Wednesday, October 28, at BCA Stadium in Vadodara. The Board of Control for Cricket in India lists a 2:00 p.m. India Standard Time (UTC+05:30) start, which is 08:30 UTC. That is a useful international fixture for readers following the women’s game alongside the men’s Tests and tri-series. Check the BCCI match center for the match details and any late schedule notice.

Bangladesh begins a two-Test World Test Championship series

Bangladesh hosts West Indies in the first Test from October 28 through November 1 at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. The scheduled start is 10:00 a.m. in Dhaka (UTC+06:00), or 04:00 UTC. Unlike the Cape Town decider, this is the opening match of a two-Test series, with the second Test set for November 5 in Sylhet, outside this week’s window. Both Tests count in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The ICC’s schedule announcement confirms the first Test dates and Mirpur venue, and the ICC match center carries the fixture listing.

Is the IPL playing this week?

No. There are no IPL fixtures from October 26 through November 1, 2026. The 2026 season concluded on May 31, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans in the final. The IPL’s official final match report records the end-of-season result. The league’s name may appear in broad cricket searches throughout the year, but that should not be mistaken for an active October schedule.

How should global viewers use this schedule?

Start with the local venue time if you are following a match live in the host city, then use the UTC line to convert it to your own location. Do not use one country’s offset for another match: Cape Town is on SAST (UTC+02:00), Lahore on PKT (UTC+05:00), Vadodara on IST (UTC+05:30), and Dhaka on UTC+06:00 during this week. The dates above stay on the same calendar day when converted to UTC.

For live coverage, check the governing board or competition match center for your country’s authorized broadcaster, streaming availability, scorecard, toss, and any weather or schedule update. Rights differ by territory, and a listing on a cricket board’s website does not mean that the same video stream is available worldwide. The ICC fixture pages, ECB tri-series information, BCCI match center, and IPL result report linked above are the primary references used for this week’s selection. This is a major-match watchlist, not a complete feed of every domestic, youth, or associate-team fixture.