New Zealand tour added to busy summer schedule

Trans-Tasman rivals Australia and New Zealand will see plenty of each other during the upcoming 2019-2020 season, with confirmation today that a further three T20 matches between the two sides will take place across the Tasman in late March next year.

The Kiwis will be in Australia for a three-match Domain Test series in December and January before they return for a trio of 50-over matches in Sydney and Hobart in mid-March 2020.

Following the completion of the ODI series on March 20, Australia's limited overs stars will travel across the ditch to take on New Zealand in a three-match T20 campaign.

The University of Otago Oval in Dunedin will host the first match on March 24, with further games confirmed for Eden Park in Auckland (March 27) and Hagley Oval in Christchurch (March 29).

It means Australia's limited overs players face a busy start to 2020 that will see them play 15 matches in four countries in two-and-a-half months.

Following the traditional New Year’s Test against the Black Caps in Sydney, Australia’s white-ball stars will head to India for ODIs on January 14, 17 and 19.

The end of the Indian tour will see Australia’s leading players return home for the climax of the KFC BBL season; the Big Bash fixture is yet to be confirmed, but it’s expected the tournament will conclude in mid-February.

After the BBL, Australia’s players will be on the road again for three T20s and three ODIs in South Africa from February 21 to March 7, before returning home for the ODIs against NZ (March 13-20) and then heading across the Tasman for the T20s (March 24-29).

With two separate three-match T20 series already scheduled against Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the start of the 2019-20 home summer, it means the Aussies will play 12 T20 matches during the season as they tune up for the T20 World Cup on home soil in October and November next year.

Australia's limited-overs fixtures 2019-2020

Oct 27: First T20 v Sri Lanka, Adelaide

Oct 30: Second T20 v Sri Lanka, Gabba

Nov 1: Third T20 v Sri Lanka, MCG

Nov 3: First T20 v Pakistan, SCG

Nov 5: Second T20 v Pakistan, Manuka Oval

Nov 8: Third T20 v Pakistan, Perth Stadium

Jan 14: First ODI v India, Mumbai

Jan 17: Second ODI v India, Rajkot

Jan 19: Third ODI v India, Bengaluru

Feb 21: First T20 v South Africa, Jo'burg

Feb 23: Second T20 v South Africa, Port Elizabeth

Feb 26: Third T20 v South Africa, Cape Town

Feb 29: First ODI v South Africa, Paarl

Mar 4: Second ODI v South Africa, Bloemfontein

Mar 7: Third ODI v South Africa, Potchefstroom

Mar 13: First ODI v New Zealand, SCG

Mar 15: Second ODI v New Zealand, SCG

Mar 20: Third ODI v New Zealand, Blundstone Arena

Mar 24: First T20 v New Zealand, Dunedin

Mar 27: Second T20 v New Zealand, Auckland

Mar 29: Third T20 v New Zealand, Christchurch