The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has put the entire cricketing schedule in a haste. As the dark clouds look to clear slowly, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) is planning to host as many as four countries during the upcoming home season.
Meanwhile, the authorities are currently working on the bio-secure rules. They plan to follow the regulations laid by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Currently, people flying into New Zealand has to remain in 14-day home quarantine or isolation and the teams are likely to follow the same.
New Zealand to host four teams in upcoming home season
Men’s tours of Australia, West Indies, Pakistan and Bangladesh are lined up for now. Moreover, Australia Women’s team is also likely to travel to face the White Ferns at home early next year after ICC postponed the Women’s World Cup to 2022.
NZC CEO David White confirmed that there will be 37 days of international cricket in the upcoming home season. He also added that the government has been extremely supportive and they are looking forward to it.
“We are making tremendous progress. I was just on the phone to the West Indies, they’re confirmed, Pakistan is confirmed, Australia and Bangladesh… so 37 days of international cricket.
“The White Ferns will tour Australia in September and then the Australia Women’s team will tour New Zealand in February. We are just working through the content but probably five ODIs and three T20Is. We’ll just be held up for a week or two while we work with the government agencies on the managed isolation but they’ve been extremely supportive,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Although the final schedule is yet to come out, but the office-bearers are hopeful to chalk out a plan by next week. New Zealand last played an international game in Sydney against Australia. The organisers called-off the three-match ODI series midway owing to COVID-19 outbreak.
