New Zealand Government has cleared home cricket series against the West Indies and Pakistan. New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White has shared the development.
The series will be played in a bio-secure bubble, similar to the one created by the England and Wales Cricket Board for their home series against the West Indies, Pakistan and Australia.
“NZC has received Government approval to proceed with plans to host international touring sides this summer, in line with prescribed health protocols and beginning with @windiescricket and @TheRealPCB,” the BlackCaps wrote on their official Twitter handle.
NZC has received Government approval to proceed with plans to host international touring sides this summer, in line with prescribed health protocols and beginning with @windiescricket and @TheRealPCB. Details of the upcoming summer’s schedule will be announced early next week. pic.twitter.com/0ROc1ghjTs
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) September 24, 2020
Further details of the series against the West Indies and Pakistan will be announced next week. According to the current Future Tours programme (FTP), New Zealand are slated to host West Indies and Pakistan for a Test and T20 series each.
“It’s a huge boost for us, it’s our financial lifeline. International cricket funds the whole game in New Zealand so it’s very important,” White reportedly said. “It won’t come cheap, we’ll be footing the bill, but we are happy to do that.”
The Black Caps were also scheduled to travel to Australia for an ODI series but the fixture was on Friday postponed to next summer (2021-22) due to the pandemic.
“That 14-day managed isolation at both sides of the Tasman is a challenge. We’ve worked with Cricket Australia on that will be fulfilling our obligations the following year,” White said.
Teams from Pakistan and West Indies will need to undergo a phased isolation period upon arrival. New Zealand players returning from the Indian Premier League, will also have to isolate themselves for the first three days in their hotel rooms.
There has been no cricket in New Zealand since March when a countrywide lockdown was imposed to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Zealand has been among the few nation’s worldwide to successfully control the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has taken more than 200 countries in its grip across the world.