The new draw for the tournament, which will take place in March-April 2022, was released yesterday and it showed Dunedin was allocated three games in a tight five-day window. That is down from the four games the city was allocated back at the start of the year.
The 50-overs cup was moved back a year in August due to Covid-19.
The University of Otago Oval will host its first game on March 5, a Saturday, when the South African side takes on a qualifier. Two days later the host country, the New Zealand women’s team, will face up to a qualifier. Then on March 9, England will come to the Oval to also take on a qualifier team.
It is unclear whether the qualifier team playing the three games will be the same team but it is unlikely.
In the initial draw for the tournament, set to be played at the same time in 2021, the University of Otago Oval was to have hosted a match between two qualifying teams.
But that has disappeared. Games between two qualifying teams have been allocated to Hamilton and Mount Maunganui. Seddon Park in Hamilton and the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui both host seven games while the Basin Reserve in Wellington also hosts seven games.
The semifinals will take place in Wellington and Christchurch and the final on April 3 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
New Zealand, Australia, England, South Africa and India have qualified for the cup. The three remaining teams will emerge from the ICC qualifying tournament to take place in June and July next year in Sri Lanka.
In the eight-team round robin format, all teams will play each other, with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals.
The announcement of the draw was made at Hagley Oval last night where Minister of Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson was set to turn on the new lights there for the first time.
The final of the tournament will take place under lights.
