Australia's T20I tour of New Zealand abandoned

Australia's three-match T20I tour of New Zealand in March has been abandoned after there were no managed isolation quarantine spots available for the Australian team.

New Zealand Cricket and Cricket Australia have agreed to abandon the series scheduled to be played over four days in Napier in mid-March.

NZC has decided to move New Zealand's T20I with the Netherlands on March 25 to Napier's McLean Park, after it was previously scheduled to be played at Bay Oval in Tauranga.

Australia's short T20I was originally scheduled under the assumption that the New Zealand government was set to relax MIQ rules for travellers from Australia but restrictions remain in place and have already forced the postponment of New Zealand's four-match limited-overs tour of Australia that was scheduled to start on January 30.

The tour was scheduled to run concurrently with Australia's Test tour of Pakistan.

NZC chief executive David White said the abandonment of Australia's tour was inevitable given the restrictions at the border.

"At the time we scheduled the visit there was a lot of hope that the trans-Tasman border would be open for those who met the right criteria," White said.

"However, the advent of Omicron has, unfortunately, changed everything at the border, and has made it impossible for us to continue with the series.

"It's disappointing - but we know it's the same for businesses and individuals and other sports, and we're grateful for the international schedule we have."

The remainder of New Zealand's home summer remains unaffected with the New Zealand's women's series with India starting on Wednesday while men's series against South Africa and the Netherlands are still going ahead as scheduled, as is the women's 50-over World Cup.