The English and Australian players, representing their respective white-ball teams, will miss out on the initial few games of the Indian Premier League 2020.
The IPL Season 13 is scheduled to start on September 18 in the UAE. England and Australia will be playing the last game of their One Day International series on The Old Trafford on September 16.
Even if the players reach the UAE on the day of the inaugural match of the IPL 2020, they will have to pass at least two COVID-19 tests before moving into the “bio secure bubble” and join their teams.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that Hampshire’s The Ageas Bowl and Lancashire’s Emirates Old Trafford will host England Men’s white-ball international matches behind closed doors later this summer against Australia.
The Australian squad will arrive in the UK on August 24, travelling to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground before transferring to The Ageas Bowl after England’s third Test match against Pakistan on August 27.
Australia will play a 50-over intra-squad practice game and three T20 practice matches before the start of the three-match Vitality IT20 series against England commencing on September 4 at The Ageas Bowl.
The Southampton venue will host all three Vitality IT20s including matches on September 6 and September 8.
The three Royal London Internationals will take place at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday, September 11, Sunday, September 13 and the final match of the tour on Wednesday, September 16.
“We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff and administrators of Cricket Australia for their efforts in getting this tour underway. Their co-operation to ensure these matches are staged is crucial to cricket in this country. It will also provide much-needed financial aid at all levels of cricket in England and Wales as we work through the challenges in front of us,” said ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison.
Cricket Australia interim Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley, added: “We are very excited to be heading to England and to get back into the international fray. We congratulate the ECB on leading the resumption of the game in a way that places the health and safety of players and staff at its core.
“We would also like to thank the Australian Government for granting travel exemptions for the Australian men’s team, as well as all those who have worked tirelessly to put together a plan that allows for the tour to progress in a bio-secure way.”
The three ODIs will form part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.
Schedule: T20Is – September 4, 6 and 8 (Ageas Bowl, Southampton – from 10:30 pm IST).
ODI series: September 11, 13 and 16 (Od Trafford – from 5:30 pm IST).