BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH the aim of working with regional governments to better plan for international cricket, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has released the International Calendar for 2020-2022.
The fixtures were released on Friday (Oct. 25) and will span January 2020 to August 2022, and will see the addition of two new international venues and the all-territories seeing games.
According to CWI, the new initiative is a key feature of the regional body’s strategy to enable better planning across the region and ensuring that all international venues host West Indies cricket every year.
“For the first time in many years, this long-term calendar has been unveiled to give countries and fans a view of key fixtures, dates and venues to help plan for and celebrate cricket in the West Indies. Next year, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa will visit the West Indies; followed by Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan in 2021. The following year Ireland will make a return and the regional side will also face England, Bangladesh and India on home turf,” CWI said in the press release.
The West Indies Women’s team has not been left out, as the CWI said the ladies would also have an intense calendar of matches and camps as they prepare for the ICC Women’s World Cup, which will be played in New Zealand in 2021.
“In the build-up to the biggest event in women’s cricket, the West Indies Women will focus their energies on the 50-over format. Later this month they host India and they will also host South Africa at home in May 2020. Overall, they are expected to play a minimum of 15 ODIs – home and away – in the lead-up to the marquee event,” the release noted.
Johnny Grave, CWI CEO said: “This is a significant step forward for CWI and cricket fans and stakeholders across the region. Not only does this provide a full calendar of international fixtures which allows us to better plan and schedule our cricket, but it allows everyone who supports and loves cricket to know when the next big game or tournament is coming.”
According to the regional body, the new fixtures cycle would see the West Indies men playing 11 Test matches in the ICC World Test Championship games, 20 ODIs and 36 T20Is at home.
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad is set to become the newest international venue for men’s cricket. It is earmarked to stage a T20I when Sri Lanka visits in March 2021, pending approval by ICC; while the Trelawny Multipurpose facility in Jamaica is the proposed venue for a T20I when Pakistan tours in July 2021.
The full schedules for these series will be revealed at a later date.
There will be a return to international cricket for the people of Dominica and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
Windsor Park stadium is set to host New Zealand in the third Colonial Medical Insurance ODI and the first T20I next year, pending final renovations to the stadium following Hurricane Maria; while Arnos Vale in St. Vincent could host back-to-back T20Is when Australia visits in June, 2021. The last international contest at that venue was when West Indies defeated Bangladesh by 10 wickets in 2014.
AVAILABLE MATCH SCHEDULE (West Indies Men)
Ireland in West Indies 2020
January 4: 50-over warm-up match – Three Ws Oval, Barbados
January 7: 1st Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Kensington Oval, Barbados
January 9: 2nd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Kensington Oval
January 12: 3rd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Grenada National Stadium, Grenada
January 15: 1st T20I – Grenada National Stadium
January 18: 2nd T20I – Warner Park, St Kitts
January 19: 3rd T20I – Warner Park, St Kitts
West Indies in England 2020 (Wisden Trophy Series)
June 4-8: 1st Test – The Oval
June 12-16: 2nd Test – Edgbaston
June 25-29: 3rd Test - Lords
New Zealand in West Indies 2020
July 8: 1st Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua
July 10: 2nd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground
July 13: 3rd Colonial Medical Insurance ODI – Windsor Park, Dominica
July 15: 1st T20I – Windsor Park
July 18: 2nd T20I – Guyana National Stadium, Guyana
July 19: 3rd T20I – Guyana National Stadium
South Africa in West Indies 2020
July 15-19: warm-up match – Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad
July 23-27: 1st Test – Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad
July 31 to August 4: 2nd Test – Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia
August 8: 1st T20I – Broward County Stadium, USA
August 9: 2nd T20I – Broward County Stadium, USA
August 12: 3rd T20I – Sabina Park, Jamaica
August 15: 4th T20I – Sabina Park
August 16: 5th T20I – Sabina Park
West Indies ICC T20 World Cup 2020
October 25: vs New Zealand – Melbourne Cricket Ground
October 28: vs Australia – Perth Stadium
October 30: vs Qualifier B2 – Perth Stadium
November 3: vs Pakistan – Adelaide Oval
November 7: vs Qualifier A1 – Melbourne Cricket Ground
November 11: Semifinal 1 – Sydney Cricket Ground
November 12: Semifinal 2 – Adelaide Oval
November 15: FINAL – Melbourne Cricket Ground
