Cricket Australia has announced that the third Women’s One Day International between Australia and India on Sunday, March 1, 2026, will now be played at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
The match was originally scheduled to be held at Junction Oval in Melbourne but has been relocated due to planning delays that affected the installation of new lights at the venue. As a result, the ground could not host a day/night fixture or safely accommodate fans, prompting the move.
Lighting issues and scheduling conflict force venue change
Cricket Australia (CA) stated that Cricket Victoria informed them of the venue’s unavailability after it became clear that the light towers would not be operational in time for the match. The ongoing installation work also impacted fan access to key areas of the ground.
A daytime alternative was ruled out due to the tight scheduling window, with the second ODI also a day/night fixture taking place in Hobart on Friday, February 27, 2026.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was unavailable due to planned renovation works, leaving CA with limited options.
Updated Hobart schedule for Australia vs India women’s ODIs
- Friday, February 27, 2026 – Australia vs India, ODI (D/N), Bellerive Oval
- Sunday, March 1, 2026 – Australia vs India, ODI (D/N), Bellerive Oval (relocated from Junction Oval)
Ticket refunds and statement from Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia has confirmed that ticket refunds will be processed automatically within 24 hours for fans who had purchased tickets to the Melbourne fixture.
“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,” said Peter Roach, CA Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling.
“We were looking forward to celebrating the first international match under lights at the Junction Oval. Unfortunately, the MCG is not available due to renovation works, and the lighting delays at Junction Oval made it impractical to proceed with a day/night or even a day fixture given the tight multiformat schedule.”
Roach also expressed gratitude to Cricket Tasmania for stepping in to host the additional match and encouraged fans in Hobart to support the world champion Australian women’s team.
Women’s international cricket is expected to return to Melbourne in the 2026–27 season.
