Cricket South Africa (CSA), which was supposed to play the two-match Test series against New Zealand at the beginning of February 2024, is extremely likely to postpone it because of the second SA20. Notably, the competition was briefly suspended to allow for the three-match ODI series against England, but due to the format of this round, it will not be able to do so.
A number of notable players
Including Temba Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen, will compete in SA20; as a result, South Africa will either have to field a reserve squad or postpone the series, with the latter option appearing more likely at the time.
The franchise-based tournament has first rights to the players, therefore the cricketers are required by contract to play in SA20 over the national squad.
In light of this, Cricket South Africa is willing to move the Test series and will let New Zealand know in the coming months.
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki, on the other hand, told CRICKETMOOD that the organization would have a better understanding of the situation and that a decision would only be made “after the SA20 mini-auction in September.” As a result, while everything is still in its very early stages, it is more or less a given that Cricket South Africa won’t be changing the dates of their premier domestic event.
On January 7, immediately following India’s tour of South Africa, the second season of the SA20 league is scheduled to start. The competition is anticipated to end in the first week of February, thus the home team expressed a wish to host New Zealand somewhere in the middle of February. Though the team is scheduled to host Australia, whose players must go early owing to the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League, the Black Caps may decide against carrying out their original plan. As a result, there are currently a number of unknowns surrounding the series.