New Zealand set to host West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh in the upcoming home season

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) seems set to host as many as four countries during their upcoming home season. The country is reportedly free of Coronavirus and was first among the major cricketing nations to announce it as well. NZC is currently working with the government over the bio-security measures and are set to follow the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in that aspect.

At the moment, people flying in to New Zealand are told to stay in isolation for 14 days and the visiting teams will have to do it as well. 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 as the World Cup has been postponed to 2022.

The NZC CEO David White confirmed that they are looking to follow ECB’s model to create a bio-bubble during the series and also stated that a total of 37 days of international cricket will be played. “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.

Final schedule yet to be finalised

According to Future Tours Programme (FTP), West Indies and Pakistan are due to play T20Is and Tests while Bangladesh are slated for ODIs and T20Is with Australia also coming for a T20I series. But with the T20 World Cup being postponed, the final schedule might be changed. The Tests against Pakistan and West Indies are most likely to go ahead as planned as they are the part of the World Test Championship.

New Zealand last played an international game in March in Sydney against Australia after which the three-match ODI series was postponed due to the pandemic. The Women’s team might be the first to return to the action as they are scheduled to tour Australia for three ODIs and as many T20Is.