CSA confirms Proteas' festive season fixtures, New Year's Test leaves Cape Town

The Proteas will host Sri Lanka in two Test matches over the traditional festive season window.
The Wanderers will host the New Year’s Test match as CSA looks to minimise travel during the tour as a result of coronavirus protocols.
The Proteas will then host Australia and Pakistan in early 2021, with a historic tour to Pakistan also on the cards.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday announced its international programme of home fixtures for the 2020/2021 season with the major news that Wanderers, and not Newlands, will host the New Year’s Test against Sri Lanka.

The decision was taken to ensure minimal movement during the coronavirus pandemic with Cape Town and Paarl set to host the entire limited overs international series against England over November and December.

The men’s national side has confirmed upcoming fixtures against England, Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan – all for crucial points in either the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League (CWCSL) or the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

The international season will begin with a three-match T20 series and three-match ODI series against England in Cape Town and Paarl.

Sri Lanka will then arrive for the festive period and play a two-match Test series in Centurion and Johannesburg with those fixtures set to fall into the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Test match windows, respectively.

Australia then arrive in February 2021 for a three-match Test series ending in March, with Pakistan rounding off the South African summer of cricket with a three-match ODI series and a three-match T20 series in April 2021.

The fixtures and venues for the Australia and Pakistan tours are yet to be confirmed.

CSA also announced on Tuesday that it had appointed a delegation to perform a security assessment on the feasibility of the Proteas embarking on their first tour to Pakistan since 2007.

The delegates are earmarked to depart to Pakistan this weekend and they will report back on their findings for the tour, which is currently scheduled for early 2021.

“We are delighted to announce the schedule of men’s international cricket for the home season,” said CSA’s acting CEO Kugandrie Govender in a statement.

“It is an absolute pleasure to deliver more good news for our cricket-loving fans to consume, following last week’s confirmed tour against England and domestic season launch.

“The Covid-19 pandemic predictably forced many changes to the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) and the traditional sequencing of scheduling matches in South Africa this season. This is why I am particularly proud of today’s announcement.

“It comes as a result of many hours of dedication, negotiation and hard work by individuals behind the scenes to ensure that our fans have an exciting line-up of cricket to look forward to throughout the summer and, although the matches will be played behind closed doors, we will have enough entertainment to make them feel as though they are a part of match-day activities.

“It is an important season for all of the formats of our beautiful game, with players having a lot to play for no matter the team they are selected in.”

“Finally, I would like to express my gratitude and thanks on behalf of CSA, to the boards of England, Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan for their agreement to these tours and assisting us in bringing the beautiful game to the South African public under the ‘new normal’ that Covid-19 has presented us.

“I am certain that we will be thoroughly entertained by very competitive displays of cricket.”

Upcoming Proteas men’s fixtures:

England men’s Tour to South Africa

Friday, 27 November at 18:00:

1st T20I South Africa v England, Newlands, Cape Town

Sunday, 29 November at 14:30:

2nd T20I South Africa v England, Boland Park, Paarl

Tuesday, 1 December at 18:00:

3rd T20I South Africa v England, Newlands, Cape Town

Friday, 4 December at 13:00:

1st ODI (CWCSL) South Africa v England, Newlands, Cape Town

Sunday, 6 December at 10:00: