The Black Caps' upcoming white-ball tour to Australia has been postponed due to the lack of certainty over when they will be able to return to New Zealand.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Originally scheduled to depart on Monday next week, the team would have returned on February 9.
But with no MIQ spots allocated to them, and trans-Tasman border restrictions now extended, that was no longer possible.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said, alongside Cricket Australia (CA) they proposed extending the length of the tour so the Black Caps would come back at a time "more manageable for the MIQ process".
However, the government told the national body on Wednesday they had no capacity to meet the request.
NZC chief executive David White said the tour was initially scheduled last year, after the government signalled its intention to relax MIQ restrictions relating to the trans-Tasman border.
"As we now know, the advent of Omicron prompted a change of heart from the Government, resulting in a hard 10-day mandatory isolation period being imposed on all incoming travellers.
"NZC and CA had explored a proposal to expand the tour and to push out the date on which the squad might return to New Zealand, in the hope that might be more achievable for the Government.
"But we received advice this morning that they could not provide certainty over this, either."
White was confident, though, the postponed matches could be rescheduled before the end of the year.
He said they were talking with Cricket Australia about a time that would suit both teams.
"The ODIs are very important as they are part of the qualifying league for Cricket World Cup in India in 2023.
"We're confident we'll find a window within this calendar year to play them."
But there was less certainty about the three T20s against Australia on New Zealand soil in March.
"We're hopeful in two-months time there might be some relief in terms of the border and MIQ for trans-Tasman sport," White said.
"But we don't know, that's two-months away. We're still planning."
