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

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday, July 4, putting behind their ICC T20 World Cup 2024 disappointments, announced the bumper home and away 2024–25 season for the men’s national cricket team.

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

Pakistan set to host England in a Test series in October 2024

During their last match against Pakistan in December 2022, England made history with a thrilling 3-0 series win in a Test series. 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. Then, the two teams will 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 Pakistan versus England Test series, the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) Chief Executive Officer, Richard Gould, expressed his excitement at the team’s return to Pakistan for the three-match Test series in October this year.

Richard Gould said in a PCB media release: “We’re really excited to be returning to Pakistan for this three-match men’s Test tour in October. Our last men’s Test tour of Pakistan produced some memorable matches and I’m sure fans can look forward to more exciting cricket across this forthcoming series.”

Pakistan vs England Test Series Fixtures:

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

15-19 October – Second Test at National Stadium, 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 the West Indies in January 2025.

Bangladesh in Pakistan (Two Tests)

21-25 Aug – First Test, Rawalpindi

30 Aug -3 Sep – Second Test, Karachi

Pakistan Cricket Team will 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 lead-up to the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where eight teams will participate.

Before 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-flagged series later this year. Notably, Pakistan recently failed to qualify for the Super-8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2024.

The Men in Green were knocked out of the group stages, while England suffered a massive defeat in the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal against India, who went on to become the world champions on June 29. Team India defeated South Africa by seven runs to lift the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.