New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has on Saturday (February 27) confirmed that the upcoming third and fourth T20 International of the ongoing five-match T20I series between New Zealand and Australia will be played behind closed doors next week.
The third and fourth T20I between Australia and the Black Caps are now scheduled to be played at Wellington Regional Stadium in Wellington on March 3 and 5 respectively.
The first two T20Is between New Zealand and Australia was played in front of packed crowds in Christchurch and Dunedin, but the next two T20Is will be played behind closed doors following the latest alert levels in the country with an eye on the COVID-19 pandemic.
The New Zealand board also announced that the first and second T20I between New Zealand Women and England Women will also be played behind closed doors with the decision regarding the fifth T20I between New Zealand and Australia and the White Ferns’ third T20I to be taken later on.
NZC said in an official statement: “Double-headers (including WHITE FERNS v ENGLAND T20I) to go ahead in Wellington on Wednesday, March 3, as planned -- but behind closed doors. Double-headers scheduled for Auckland on Friday, March 5, now to be played in Wellington, also without crowds.”
The statement further reads: “Double-headers scheduled for Tauranga on Sunday, March 7 to go ahead -- will wait for Government advice re crowds. All ticket holders to receive full refunds.”
Noteworthy, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Saturday announced that Auckland would return to level 3 for 7 days, which means no sport can be held in the state during the one week, resulting in it forced the NZC to shift the T20I matches to Wellington.
Well, New Zealand’s other regions have moved to alert level 2 for seven days due to there being no immediate transmission link between the new mystery case and the latest Auckland cluster.
(With ANI Inputs)
