CHRISTCHURCH, Jan 19: The Black Caps’ white-ball tour of Australia scheduled to start from January 30 has been postponed indefinitely after the New Zealand government could not guarantee relaxation in mandatory hard quarantine upon return of players back home in view of COVID-related restrictions.
The tour comprising three ODIs and one Twenty20 International was scheduled to be played between January 30 and February 8, but it now stands postponed until further notice as there is no guarantee as to when the players could return to New Zealand.
A change of stance from the New Zealand government to impose a hard 10-day mandatory quarantine in response to the Omicron wave of COVID-19 infections meant New Zealand Cricket could not secure guarantees that the BlackCaps players would be allowed back into the country.
The players were originally scheduled to depart on Monday.
No tour squad had been announced. No managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) spots had been booked for the players and team management when the tour was confirmed last year, in anticipation of quarantine-free travel between the two countries in February.
Discussions are now continuing with Cricket Australia over when the postponed fixtures will be played.
According to reports, South Africa’s tour of New Zealand next month, however, remains on track with managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) spots already booked for the tour party. (PTI)
