Venues for Australia-Sri Lanka T20Is finalized, SCG and MCG to host 2 games each

Cricket Australia (CA) has finalized the venues for the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka that will be played between February 11 and 20. The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the Manuka Oval will host the matches.

The second, third and fourth T20Is were initially scheduled to be held in Queensland and Adelaide. An official CA release informed that the games have been relocated "to minimize biosecurity risks by reducing travel across the country.”

CA CEO Nick Hockley asserted:

"CA will continue to prioritise the health and safety of all players, match officials, staff, fans, broadcasters and the wider community as we navigate the challenges presented by Covid-19.”

He added about the changes in schedule for the Sri Lanka series:

"We know that fans in South Australia and Queensland will be disappointed to miss out on these matches and we remain committed to bringing international cricket to all states and territories across the country as safely as possible. We thank Sri Lanka Cricket for working closely with us to make the series possible and look forward to five entertaining matches."

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Australia vs Sri Lanka revised itinerary:

February 11: Australia v Sri Lanka, SCG

February 13: Australia v Sri Lanka, SCG

February 15: Australia v Sri Lanka, Manuka Oval

February 18: Australia v Sri Lanka, MCG

February 20: Australia v Sri Lanka, MCG

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New Zealand’s white-ball tour of Australia postponed

The revised schedule for the Sri Lanka series was released just a day after New Zealand’s white-ball tour of Australia was postponed due to quarantine issues. Australia and New Zealand were slated to play three ODIs on January 30 and February 2 and 5, followed by a one-off T20I on February 8.

The visitors were forced to pull out after the New Zealand government decided to impose a hard 10-day mandatory quarantine in the wake of the Omicron wave of COVID-19. Cricket New Zealand could not guarantee that its players would be allowed back into the country after the series.

This is the third summer in a row that New Zealand’s visit to Australia has been postponed due to COVID-19. The Aussies are scheduled to play three T20Is in New Zealand between March 17 and 20.