Daily Times

MELBOURNE: Australia’s one-off Test against Afghanistan and one-day series against New Zealand have been postponed to the 2021-22 season due to scheduling “complexity” during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Friday. Australia were to play their first home Test against Afghanistan in Perth from Nov. 21 and three one-day internationals against New Zealand over the home summer. “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 said in a statement. “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,” CA Chief Executive Nick Hockley said. Australia have committed to hosting India for four tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals over the home summer, though the dates are yet to be confirmed. The novel coronavirus outbreak has already forced the postponement of the Twenty20 World Cup, which was to have been held in Australia in October and November, along with Australia’s warmup T20 matches against West Indies. Australia also postponed a proposed two-test tour of Bangladesh in June, part of the ICC’s World Test Championship, due to the pandemic.