UAE to host New Zealand for T20I series 

image-ler6dix9New Zealand will travel to UAE for T20Is [AP Photos]

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) on Thursday announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host New Zealand for a three-match series in August.

The matches are scheduled on August 17, August 19 and August 20.

The series precedes New Zealand's white-ball tour of England that consists of four T20Is and as many ODIs.

New Zealand and UAE last faced each other in a tour match that the latter lost by 37 runs. The only international game held between the two nations was in the 1996 ODI World Cup that saw UAE getting hammered as New Zealand achieved a 109-run victory.

The scheduled series against New Zealand will be UAE's second versus a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) at home in 2023. They played three T20Is against Afghanistan in February, losing the series 2-1.

"We are delighted to host New Zealand which is one of the top teams in world cricket today, for a T20I series. This series will be a massive opportunity for our players to not only compete against a top team but to also to learn from some of the best players in the world," the ECB General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani said  as quoted in the issued press release. 


"We are fully committed to the growth and development of cricket in the UAE and we are thankful to New Zealand Cricket for their support," he added.


"In terms of the global cricket family, it’s important we keep helping each other, and growing the game on an international scale. NZC has a close relationship with the Emirates Cricket Board; our players are very familiar with the environment, and I know the BLACKCAPS will be looking forward to testing themselves against a competitive UAE team," New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White stated.

After drawing the Test series versus England, New Zealand will compete in a red-ball series against Sri Lanka from March 9. While UAE are currently up against Nepal in an ODI match.