Pakistan to host Bangladesh and England as PCB announces full schedule for high-profile Test series

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Babar Azam and Ben Stokes


On Friday, July 4, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), putting the disappointments of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup behind them, announced a bumper 2024-25 home and away season for the men’s national cricket team.

The PCB has confirmed that it will host England in a Test series in October, and it will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 ​​(WTC 2023-25). The upcoming tour of Pakistan by the Ben Stokes-led England cricket team marks the second visit to the country in two years.

Pakistan will host England in a Test series in October 2024

During their last match against Pakistan in December 2022, England created history with a thrilling 3-0 Test series win. Well, Pakistan and England will play a similar number of matches in their upcoming Test series as they did last year.

The England team will visit Pakistan for a three-match Test series, starting with the first Test in Multan on October 7, 2024. The two teams will then head to Karachi for the second Test on October 15, followed by the third and final Test in Rawalpindi on October 24, 2024.

After the PCB confirmed the Test series between Pakistan and England, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Richard Gould expressed his excitement about the team’s return to Pakistan for the three-match Test series in October this year.

Richard Gould said in a PCB press release: “We are very excited to be returning to Pakistan for this three-match men’s Test tour in October. Our last men’s Test tour in Pakistan produced some memorable matches and I am sure fans can look forward to more exciting cricket in this upcoming series.”

Pakistan vs England Test Series Matches:

7-11 October: First Test at Multan International Cricket Stadium, Multan

15-19 October: Second Test at the National Stadium in Karachi

24-28 October: Third and final Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Meanwhile, the PCB announced that Pakistan’s home season will begin with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in August, followed by a three-match Test series against England in October and a two-match Test series against West Indies in January 2025.

Bangladesh in Pakistan (two tests)

21-25 August: First Test in Rawalpindi

August 30 – September 3: Second Test in Karachi

Pakistan cricket team to have a busy 2024-25 season

Pakistan will also host New Zealand and South Africa in a four-match ODI tri-series in February 2025. This will be the first ODI tri-series in 21 years in Pakistan, in the run-up to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will feature eight teams.

Ahead of the mega event, Pakistan will travel to Australia and Zimbabwe in November and December for the white-ball series. They will also travel to South Africa for a full-fledged flag series later this year. It is noteworthy that Pakistan recently failed to qualify for the Super-8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The Men in Green were knocked out at the group stage while England suffered a massive defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final against India, who became world champions on June 29. Team India defeated South Africa by seven runs to lift the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.