England's Twenty20 tour of South Africa will go ahead after it was given the green light by the host’s government.

 

England will play three T20s, plus three one-day internationals, from November 27, with all games to be played behind closed doors.

 

The team will travel to South Africa on November 16, with games to be played at Cape Town's Newlands and in nearby Paarl.

 

It will be South Africa's first cricket since the sport's coronavirus shutdown and England's first matches overseas. Their government regards the UK as 'high risk' for coronavirus which had put the tour in doubt. The tourists (players and management) have been granted exemptions to travel and will be based in Cape Town whilst training at Western Province Cricket Club, and playing three intra-squad matches before the first T20.

 

The three ODI matches will count towards qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India.

England managed to complete their entire schedule of home men's international cricket this summer despite the pandemic by playing matches in bio-secure venues.

 

They are scheduled to play Sri Lanka and India early in 2021 but neither tour has been confirmed.

 

Pakistan have also invited England to take part in a short, limited-overs tour in early 2021.

 

The South Africa tour schedule follows:

 

  • Friday, 27 November - first T20, Newlands, Cape Town
  • Sunday 29 November - second T20, Boland Park, Paarl
  • Tuesday 1 December - third T20, Newlands, Cape Town
  • Friday 4 December - first ODI, Newlands, Cape Town
  • Sunday 6 December - second ODI, Boland Park, Paarl
  • Wednesday 9 December - third ODI, Newlands, Cape Town