New Zealand cricket announces jam packed summer schedule

New-Zealand. (Photo by Sanka Vidanagama / AFP) (Photo by SANKA VIDANAGAMA/AFP via Getty Images)

New Zealand Cricket has announced an action-packed summer schedule for the 2024/25 season, featuring tours by England, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan for the men’s team. On the other hand, the women’s side is set to face Australia and Sri Lanka at home.

The announcement comes after the Kiwis continue to establish themselves as a formidable cricketing nation, eager to host top-tier teams and provide its players with high-quality competition. The men’s schedule kicks off with a highly anticipated three-match ICC World Test Championship series against England, starting in late November. This series, to be played in Christchurch, Wellington, and Hamilton, has already generated significant interest among fans, with strong ticket demand reported.

Following the England series, the Black Caps will host Sri Lanka for white-ball matches around the New Year, featuring three T20Is and three ODIs. The schedule then shifts to a busy period in March and April, with Pakistan visiting for five T20Is and three ODIs, providing ample preparation for the next edition of the ICC Champions Trophy.

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The White Ferns’ summer is equally exciting, starting with the prestigious Rose Bowl ODI series against Australia in Wellington just before Christmas. March will see them hosting Sri Lanka for a multi-format tour, followed by a three-match T20I series against the top-ranked Australian team.

A notable feature of the schedule is the inclusion of several double-headers, particularly in the latter part of the summer. These events will witness White Ferns matches preceding Black Caps white-ball clashes. All international matches will be broadcast free-to-air on TVNZ 1, TVNZ DUKE, and TVNZ+, ensuring widespread accessibility for fans across the nation.

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New Zealand’s men’s schedule:

Test series vs England

First Test: Nov 28-Dec 2, Christchurch
Second Test: Dec 6-10, Wellington
Third Test: Dec 14-18, Hamilton

T20I series vs Sri Lanka

First T20I: Dec 28, Tauranga
Second T20I: Dec 30, Tauranga
Third T20I: Jan 2, Nelson

ODI series vs Sri Lanka

First ODI: Jan 5, Wellington
Second ODI: Jan 8, Hamilton
Third ODI: Jan 11, Auckland

T20I series vs Pakistan

First T20I: March 16, Christchurch
Second T20I: March 18, Dunedin
Third T20I: March 21, Auckland
Fourth T20I: March 23, Tauranga
Fifth T20I: March 26, Wellington

ODI series vs Pakistan

First ODI: March 29, Napier
Second ODI: April 2, Hamilton
Third ODI: April 5, Tauranga

New Zealand’s Women’s schedule:

ODI series vs Australia

First ODI: Dec 19, Wellington
Second ODI: Dec 21, Wellington
Third ODI: Dec 23, Wellington

ODI series vs Sri Lanka

First ODI: March 4, Napier
Second ODI: March 7, Nelson
Third ODI: March 9, Nelson

T20I series vs Sri Lanka

First T20I: March 14, Christchurch
Second T20I: March 16, Christchurch
Third T20I: March 18, Christchurch

T20I series vs Australia

First T20I: March 21, Auckland
Second T20I: March 23, Tauranga
Third T20I: March 26, Wellington