New Zealand to host Australia for three match T20I series in March 2022
New Zealand will host a second-string Australia in March 2022
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Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand cricket (NZC) have confirmed that both the teams will play a three-match T20I series on the Kiwi soil in March 2022. These matches will be played on March 17, 18 and 20 in Wellington and Napier in the lead-up to the 2022 T20 World Cup to be held in Australia.
Australia will send a separate set of the players in New Zealand as the series is clashing with their tour of Pakistan. They did the same thing last year when their tour of South Africa was clashing with the five-match T20I series on the Kiwi soil. Although the tour of South Africa was cancelled due to fear of Covid 19’s new variant. Head coach Justin Langer missed the New Zealand series and senior assistant Andrew McDonald was the stand-in coach.Â
Players like David Warner, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will miss the Kiwi tour as they will be touring Pakistan for three-match Test series, as many ODIs and a lone T20I from March 3 to April 5. Meanwhile, CA chief executive Nick Hockley said that they are pleased to support their closest neighbour.Â
"New Zealand's home summer schedule has been heavily impacted by the pandemic, and we are pleased to be able to support our closest neighbour with this T20I tour," Hockley said
"As well as supporting New Zealand Cricket to host a full summer of international cricket, it will also be a great opportunity for our men's T20 team to ramp up their preparations ahead of our home ICC Men's T20 World Cup in October and November next year."
NZC chief executive David White said that both the cricket boards share a close relationship and NZC appreciates the efforts of CA.Â
"The impact of Covid-19 has meant a number of changes to our schedule - and we want to place on record our thanks to Cricket Australia for agreeing to send a team across the Tasman at such short notice," White said.
"NZC and CA have always enjoyed a close relationship and we really appreciate the lengths they've gone to in order to help us."
The two teams will first play three ODIs and a T20I in Australia between late January and early February. The fate of the series depends highly on the border restrictions and vaccination rates will determine the restriction or easing off the restrictions.Â
Notably, Australia and New Zealand have qualified for the T20 World Cup 2021 final and will clash in the summit clash in Dubai on Sunday, November 14.Â
