PCB unveils details of 2024-25 home international season

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced the details of men’s 2024-25 home international cricket season.

Pakistan will compete in three Test series and participate in the first ODI tri-series in 21 years in the lead up to the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on home turf.

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 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.

In the period from August 2024 to March 2025, the Pakistan men’s cricket team will play nine Tests, nine T20Is and, at least, 14 ODIs. The number of ODIs may increase based on their performance in the ODI tri-series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Alongside international cricket, the PCB will be involved in planning and delivering an expanded and more competitive PCB Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25, as well as women’s domestic and international cricket events and competitions. The HBL Pakistan Super League 2025 is also being planned for April/May 2025.

The nine Tests against Bangladesh, England, South Africa and the West Indies will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

To date, Pakistan has played five Tests in two series against Sri Lanka and Australia, winning two and losing three. This has placed them in fifth position on the points table with 22 points. India leads the table with 74 points after three series, followed by Australia (90 points from four series), New Zealand (36 points from three series), and Sri Lanka (24 points from two series).

With each of the top nine Test-playing nations scheduled to play six series (three home and three away) in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, strong performances in the upcoming four series could put Pakistan in contention for a place in the final, scheduled for Lord’s in June 2025.

Karachi, Multan and Rawalpindi will share the seven Tests and four ODIs between them. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium is currently undergoing redesign and redevelopment work as part of preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but is expected to be ready to stage most of the high-profile matches from 19 February to 9 March.

The ICC will announce further details of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in due course.

SCHEDULE OF PAKISTAN’S HOME INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN 2024-25:

Bangladesh in Pakistan (Two Tests)

21-25 Aug – First Test, Rawalpindi

30 Aug-3 Sep – Second Test, Karachi

England in Pakistan (Three Tests)

7-11 Oct – First Test, Multan

15-19 Oct – Second Test, Karachi

24-28 Oct – Third Test, Rawalpindi

West Indies in Pakistan (Two Tests)

16-20 Jan – First Test, Karachi

24-28 Jan – Second Test, Multan

New Zealand and South Africa in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

8 Feb – Pakistan v New Zealand, Multan

10 Feb – New Zealand v South Africa, Multan

12 Feb – Pakistan v South Africa, Multan

14 Feb – Final, Multan

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (Schedule to be announced by the ICC; participating teams are: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa)

19 Feb-Opening match

9 Mar – Final

SCHEDULE OF PAKISTAN’S AWAY INTERNATIONAL MATCHES IN 2024-25:

Pakistan to Australia (three ODIs, three T20Is)

4 Nov – First ODI, Melbourne

8 Nov – Second ODI, Adelaide

10 Nov – Third ODI, Perth

14 Nov – First T20I, Brisbane

16 Nov – Second T20I, Sydney

18 Nov – Third T20I, Hobart

Pakistan to Zimbabwe (three ODIs, three T20Is)

24 Nov – First ODI, Bulawayo

26 Nov – Second ODI, Bulawayo

28 Nov – Third ODI, Bulawayo

1 Dec – First T20I, Bulawayo

3 Dec – Second T20I, Bulawayo

5 Dec – Third T20I, Bulawayo

Pakistan to South Africa (Three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests)

10 Dec – First T20I, Durban

13 Dec – Second T20I, Centurion

14 Dec – Third T20I, Johannesburg

17 Dec – First ODI, Paarl

19 Dec – Second ODI, Cape Town

22 Dec – Third ODI, Johannesburg

26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion

3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town