XtraTime Web Desk: Cricket Australia on Friday confirmed the postponement of the Australian men’s Test match against Afghanistan and three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand until the 2021-22 season.
The matches had originally been scheduled for 2020-21, however the complexity of scheduling international matches during the global coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the three boards agreeing the need to postpone the matches.
CA is confident that it will find suitable windows for each postponed match to be played within the current FTP period that concludes in 2023.
The Australian men’s team will host India for four Tests, three One-Day Internationals and three Twenty20 Internationals this summer in a series that will captivate audiences around Australia and across the globe.
Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim CEO, said Australia welcomed the opportunity to host Afghanistan and New Zealand in the near future.
“Cricket Australia looks forward to working with our good friends at the Afghanistan Cricket Board and New Zealand Cricket to deliver the matches at a time when, hopefully, the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have eased,” Hockley said.
“We all worked incredibly hard to make the series happen this summer, but the challenges around international travel and quarantine restrictions ultimately convinced all parties that the series would need to be played at a later date.
“CA looks forward to welcoming the Indian men’s team for a full schedule of matches this summer in what promises to be an incredible contest across all three formats.
“CA would also like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful partners for their understanding and support as we have navigated the complexities of hosting international sport during a pandemic to deliver a thrilling summer across men’s and women’s cricket at international and domestic level.”