The Proteas’ three-match ODI series scheduled for Australia in January has been cancelled.

Cricket Australia said matches on 12, 14 and 17 January in Hobart, Sydney and Perth were scrapped after Cricket South Africa’s request for new dates to avoid a clash with their new T20 franchise league could not be accommodated.

“It is disappointing that Cricket South Africa will be unable to contest the ODI series in January,” said Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley.

The series was part of the ICC Super League which determines direct qualification for the 2023 World Cup.

With a backlog of postponed fixtures from the pandemic meaning no window is available to reschedule before the qualification cut-off in May, CSA has agreed to forfeit all 30 Super League points to Australia, pending ICC approval.

“CSA is always keen on honouring its bilateral commitments,” said CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki. “While CSA is committed to honouring its fixtures in respect of the Future Tours Programme there will sometimes be unforeseen circumstances that would negate this resolve.

“In the case of the Australia tour, CSA reached out to its counterpart months ago to reschedule the tour to mutually agreeable dates. CSA offered four options to that effect. Unfortunately, and to our disappointment, none of these were acceptable to Cricket Australia.

“CSA has agreed that the ICC awards Australia the competition points. While we are saddened at losing the crucial points, we are confident that our in-form Proteas team will garner the requisite points through the remaining games to secure automatic qualification to the showpiece event in India next year.

“As difficult as this decision has been for CSA, the long-term sustainability of our new T20 league is reliant on having all our domestic players available for this exciting new addition to the CSA calendar.”

The three-Test series between Australia and the Proteas will go ahead as planned.