Cricket Australia Announce Ashes Schedule, to Play Solitary Test Against Afghanistan as Well

Australia will play their first test against Afghanistan in November before taking on England in five Ashes tests over five weeks around the New Year, Cricket Australia said on Wednesday. The inaugural test against Afghanistan was called off last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic but will now take place from Nov. 27-Dec. 1 at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

The Ashes series will open at the Gabba in Brisbane on Dec. 8 before moving on to a day-night test at Adelaide Oval followed by the Boxing Day test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and New Year’s match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In a change from recent Ashes series in Australia, the fifth and final test will take place at the 60,000-seater Perth Stadium from Jan. 14-18.

Australia will also play three one-dayers and a Twenty20 match against New Zealand in late January and early February followed by five 20-over matches against Sri Lanka to round out the 2020-21 home season. The women’s Ashes will open with the test match in Canberra from Jan 27-30, followed by three T20s and three one-dayers in February.

The world champion Southern Stars will also host India in a one-day series with dates yet to be confirmed.

Commonwealth Bank Women’s Series v India

Details TBC

Men’s Test v Afghanistan

Nov 27 – Dec 1: Test match, Blundstone Arena

Men’s Ashes v England

Dec 8-12: First Test, The Gabba

Dec 16-20: Second Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 5-9: Fourth Test, SCG

Jan 14-18: Fifth Test, Perth Stadium

Women’s Ashes v England

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval

Feb 4: First T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 6: Second T20, North Sydney Oval

Feb 10: Third T20, Adelaide Oval

Feb 13: First ODI, Adelaide Oval

Feb 16: Second ODI, Junction Oval

Feb 19: Third ODI, Junction Oval

Men’s ODI & T20 Series v New Zealand

Jan 30: First ODI, Perth Stadium

Feb 2: Second ODI, Blundstone Arena

Feb 5: Third ODI, SCG

Feb 8: T20, Manuka Oval

Feb 11: First T20, SCG

Feb 13: Second T20, The Gabba

Feb 15: Third T20, Metricon Stadium

Feb 18: Fourth T20, Adelaide Oval

Feb 20: Fifth T20, MCG