NZ teams back to Australia in summer

The Black Caps and White Ferns will return to Australia next summer.

Cricket Australia has announced a full schedule for the 2020-21 summer, including matches against the New Zealand men’s and women’s sides.

Although still subject to change due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, the full international schedule underlines Australia’s confidence the season will go ahead amid loosening restrictions.

The White Ferns will take on Australia in September in a three-match Twenty20 series, followed by a Rose Bowl ODI series between the sides in early October.

The Black Caps will cross the Tasman later in the summer for a threematch ODI series starting on January 26. Captain Kane Williamson’s side will wrap up the Australian home summer with a one-off T20 clash in Sydney on February 2.

Australia will also welcome several other nations, including India in a four-test series starting in Brisbane on December 3, and a historic first test against Afghanistan.

The men’s T20 World Cup is still scheduled to start in Australia on October 18 but it is widely expected to be postponed due to the pandemic.

The Black Caps’ tour of Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands has been called off, while their ODIs and T20 series’ in the West Indies in July is unlikely to go ahead. Two tests in Bangladesh in August are also in doubt, with the Black Caps unlikely to be in action until October.