Cricket South Africa have now revealed who will be welcomed to our shores during the 2020/21 summer season but what is at stake for our Proteas this season of the ‘new normal’.
Image Copyright – Steve Haag Sports
First up will be the visit of England for another white-ball series. We may have seen plenty of Eoin Morgan’s boys this year, at least when you consider the Proteas haven’t been in action since March and played a full series against the Three Lions at the turn of the year.
This series will be played in Cape Town and Paarl in a Western Cape bio-bubble, and the ODIs will act as the Proteas first in the Cricket World Cup Super League which will determine seven of entrants for the 2023 tournament in India.
On the heels of three ODIs, the Proteas play three T20Is against the same opponent at the same venues. These matches will be used to further prepare the team for the 2021 T20 World Cup also being staged in India.
After England depart, Sri Lanka arrive for a two-Test tour that will see them face the Proteas in the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests. These matches will also form part of the ongoing World Test Championship which the Proteas have struggled in so far. In seven WTC matches, the Proteas have suffered six defeats and are currently eighth on the nine-team table. They were also docked six points in the championship for maintaining a slow over-rate in their fourth Test against England in January.
The New Year is a little bit more nebulous at this stage, but Australia are also set to visit for a three-match Test series in March. The fixtures have not been confirmed but will also form part of the WTC.
CSA have agreed to welcome Pakistan for a three-match Cricket World Cup Super League ODI series and a T20I series in April while also investigating the possibility of a reciprocal visit.
There is plenty of context and lots to play for this summer, but CSA will be keen to work with government to get fans back into the grounds before the season is out as an off-field goal.
Written by James Richardson.
