Published: Aug 21, 2019, 06:22 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 21, 2019, 06:22 PM (IST)
England will make a break from tradition by staging the opening Test of their 2020 home season at the Oval. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released the international fixtures for next season on Wednesday, with a packed programme featuring visits by the West Indies, Australia, Pakistan and Ireland.
The Oval, the south London headquarters of Surrey, usually hosts the last Test of an English season but in 2020 it will launch the programme instead.
After the Oval, England will face the West Indies in Tests at Edgbaston and Lord’s.
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England will also play three Tests against Pakistan, at Lord’s, Old Trafford and Trent Bridge. Both the West Indies and Pakistan series will count towards the World Test Championship table.
In one-day cricket, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 winners England will face Australia and Ireland in three-match series, with the last game against the latter ending the England calendar at the Oval on September 15.
Meanwhile England’s preparations for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup will continue with six short-form matches split between Australia and Pakistan.
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ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, announcing the schedule, said: “The ICC World Test Championship will add significance and context to the Test series against West Indies and Pakistan.
“England’s ODI contests against Australia, and Ireland will see the world champions return to home soil with big crowds expected at all venues.
“With further interest in IT20 cricket, the six-matches against Australia and the world number one side Pakistan will offer a fascinating guide to form ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia during the autumn of 2020.”
England’s international schedule 2020
vs West Indies
Test series
June 4-8: 1st Test, England vs West Indies, The Oval
June 12-16: 2nd Test, England vs West Indies, Edgbaston
June 25-29: 3rd Test, England vs West Indies, Lord’s
vs Australia
T20I series
July 3: 1st T20I, England vs Australia, Riverside
July 5: 2nd T20I, England vs Australia, Old Trafford
July 7: 3rd T20I, England vs Australia, Headingley
ODI series
July 11: 1st ODI, England vs Australia, Lord’s
July 14: 2nd ODI, England vs Australia, Southampton
July 16: 3rd ODI, England vs Australia, Bristol
vs Pakistan
July 30-August 3: 1st Test, England vs Pakistan, Lord’s
August 7-11: 2nd Test, England vs Pakistan, Old Trafford
August 20-24: 3rd Test, England vs Pakistan, Trent Bridge
T20I Series
August 29: 1st T20I, England vs Pakistan, Headingley
August 31: 2nd T20I, England vs Pakistan, Cardiff
September 2: 3rd T20I, England vs Pakistan, Southampton
vs Ireland
September 10: 1st ODI, England vs Ireland, Trent Bridge
September 12: 2nd ODI, England vs Ireland, Edgbaston
September 15: 3rd ODI, England vs Ireland, The Oval
