Cricket Australia unveils summer schedule; England, NZ, BAN to tour

Cricket Australia has revealed a packed summer schedule featuring 27 international matches for its men's and women's teams. The calendar includes tours by England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh, and will conclude with a 150th anniversary Test.

Australia's Action-Packed Summer Schedule Unveiled

Cricket Australia (CA) on Sunday announced an action-packed summer of cricket at home, with 14 different venues hosting 27 international matches for men's and women's team, with the men's team set for a hectic run of 10 Tests in 14 weeks from December 2026 to March 2027.

As per cricket.com.au, England, New Zealand and Bangladesh will be visiting Australia for an action-packed calendar of cricket, which will conclude with an anniversary Test match between Australia and England at Melbourne, celebrating 150 years of Test cricket.

Men's Test Series vs Bangladesh

The calendar begins from 13 August onwards, with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, with matches set to take place at Darwin and Mackay.

Women's Bilateral Series vs Bangladesh

From October 9 to 22 onwards, the women's Bangladesh team will be in action for three ODIs and T20Is each. This will be the first bilateral series between these two sides on Aussie soil.

England's Return for White-Ball Cricket

Following that, Brendon McCullum's men will be back on Australian shores for a three-T20I, five-ODI series starting from November 13 onwards with the first ODI at Perth. The T20I leg of the series will be starting from November 21 onwards at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Following a 4-1 loss to the Aussies in the away Ashes series and the failure of McCullum's 'Bazball' brand of cricket with Test skipper Ben Stokes, 'Baz' will be back with a young Harry Brook aiming to prove a point by winning a series in Australia as road to the 2027 ODI Cricket World Cup and 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will have the Aussie land as one of the pit-stops.

Trans-Tasman Rivalry Renewed

Men's Four-Test Series

From December 9 to January 8, a four-Test match series will take place against New Zealand, marking Kiwis' first visit to Australia for a Test series since the 2019-20 season. The series will start with the 'West Test' at Perth and will be followed by a daytime Test at Adelaide. The series will conclude with the marquee Boxing Day and New Year at Melbourne and Sydney. No pink-ball Test match will be played during this series. Gabba has received no Test matches as part of this schedule amid concerns over the venue's future.

Women's Limited-Overs Series

The Kiwi series will be followed by a limited-overs series against New Zealand's women's team starting from February 21 onwards with the first T20I. The series will go on till March 7, featuring three T20Is and ODIs each.

Cricket Australia's Vision for the Summer

After the release of the schedule, Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said: "We are delighted to release an international schedule that ensures fans across Australia will see our brilliant national teams play over eight months at many fantastic venues across the country.

"Our rivalry with the Kiwis has always been hard fought and produced many memorable moments, and the men's Test series and women's white ball series will be no exception."

"We are also delighted to take Test cricket back to Darwin and to Mackay for the first time, with northern Australia providing a fantastic alternative timeslot in the crowded international schedule for the men's series against Bangladesh."

"The 150th Anniversary Test Match will be a wonderful conclusion to the summer with the cricket world coming to the MCG to celebrate the game's historic rivalry and also the superstars from across the world who have made Test cricket great," he concluded. (ANI)

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