The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Friday announced the details of men’s 2024-25 home international cricket season.
The Pakistan team will compete in three Test series and participate in the first ODI tri-series in 21 years in th e lead up to the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on home turf.
The ICC Champions Trophy headlines Pakistan’s home 2024-25 season but doubts remain whether neighbours India, the financial epicentre of world cricket, will make the trip across the border for the elite 50-overs tournament, which is being held for the first time since 2017.
India have not visited Pakistan since 2008 and the two nations play each other only at multi-team events.
Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year but eventual winners India were allowed to play all their matches in Sri Lanka under what the organisers called a “hybrid model”.
While the Indian cricket board claimed that the Union government did not give permission from Team India to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup last year, it was also a clear assertion of the BCCI’s overweening dominance over the Asian Cricket Council, which organises the “continental” (South Asian would be more apt) biennial tournament.
It is widely expected that the BCCI will trot out the same reasoning and the same demand that a “hybrid model” be applied for any games that involve Team India in the Champions Trophy. The PCB on its part, while stating that the Champions Trophy schedule is “to be announced by the ICC”, has proposed hosting the tournament between February 19 and March 9. PCB further stated that teams participating are: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.”
Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the PCB is revamping Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
In the curtain-raiser series of the 2024-25 home international season, Bangladesh will play two Tests in Rawalpindi (21-25 August) and Karachi (30 August-3 September). The international season will culminate with the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, proposed for 9 March.
In between, Pakistan will host England for three Tests in Multan (7-11 October), Karachi (15-19 October) and Rawalpindi (24-28 October), and the West Indies will visit for two Tests in Karachi (16-20 January) and Multan (24-28 January). Additionally, New Zealand and South Africa will participate in an ODI tri-series in Multan from 8-14 February.
Bangladesh last played a Test in Pakistan in February 2020, while England swept the three-Test series in December 2022. The 2025 series will also mark the West Indies’ first Test tour to Pakistan since November 2006 when Brian Lara captained the side against Inzamam-ul-Haq’s men. Pakistan last hosted the West Indies for a Test series in October 2016 in the United Arab Emirates.
Apart from the home international fixtures, the men’s team will tour Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa from 4 November to 7 January, playing two Tests, nine ODIs and nine T20Is.
PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi said: “These series are a vital part of our strategy to strengthen Pakistan’s position in international cricket and ensure long-term sustainability for the sport in our country.”
