Australia is likely to get the competition points from a cancelled three-game limited-overs international series after South Africa withdrew because of a crammed schedule and the launch of its domestic Twenty20 competition.
Cricket Australia on Wednesday said the scheduled ODIs in January in Hobart, Sydney and Perth against South Africa had been scrapped and dates and venues for other international matches were revised.
The ODI series was to be part of the International Cricket Council’s Super League which determines direct qualification for the 50-over World Cup in 2023.
“Given these games will not be played before the qualification cut-off date in May, (South Africa) has agreed that Australia will be awarded the competition points pending ICC approval,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
Cricket South Africa is set to launch at new domestic Twenty20 league in January and wanted its leading players available for the tournament.
Australia will host South Africa in a three-test series starting in Brisbane on Dec. 17 and scheduled to end in Sydney on Jan. 8.
Before then, Australia will host Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies and England in white-ball series from late August ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup from Oct. 16-Nov. 13. The Australians will then play England in a three-game ODI series and West Indies in a two-test series in Perth and Adelaide.
Australia’s men’s team returned this week from a tour to Sri Lanka that included Twenty20 and one-day international series and two test matches.
Source: United News of Bangladesh