pakistan cricket tours 2023

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PCB confirms Pakistan men's team FTP between 2023 and 2027

The PCB has scheduled around 238 days of international cricket during the four-year period comprising 27 ICC World Test Championship fixtures (13 home and 14 away), 47 One-Day Internationals (26 home and 21 home) and 56 Twenty20 Internationals (27 home an

PCB/News Desk in Karachi

17 August, 2022

Player workload management, meaningful and exciting bilateral cricket, and preparations for the ICC global events were the cornerstones of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s strategy and philosophy while preparing the men’s Future Tours Programme 2023-2027, which was confirmed and unveiled today.

The PCB has scheduled around 238 days of international cricket during the four-year period comprising 27 ICC World Test Championship fixtures (13 home and 14 away), 47 One-Day Internationals (26 home and 21 home) and 56 Twenty20 Internationals (27 home and 29 away).

📢 Pakistan to host 10 Test playing nations for bilateral red and white-ball cricket between 2023 and 2027 📢 A breakdown of Pakistan Men's fixtures in ICC's latest Future Tours Programme 🏏 More details: https://t.co/bDfJty5AcR pic.twitter.com/GjxPeFfVX2 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 17, 2022

These include matches in the ACC 50-over Asia Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will stage in 2023 and 2025, respectively. The number of matches may increase depending on where Pakistan finishes in the ICC and ACC events between 2023 and 2027, as well as in the 2025 and 2026 three-nation ODI series.

The Future Tours Programme is prepared collectively by the ICC Member Boards. As such, the PCB will continue to work with its fellow Members and may include more matches and/or series, depending on the player availability and window for international cricket in the calendar.

In the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025, Pakistan will play Tests against Australia (away), Bangladesh (home), England (home), South Africa (away), Sri Lanka (away) and West Indies (home), while their matches in the 2025-2027 championship are against Bangladesh (away), England (away), New Zealand (home), South Africa (home), Sri Lanka (home) and West Indies (away).

The three-nation ODI series has returned to Pakistan’s calendar for the first time since 2004-05. New Zealand and South Africa will join Pakistan in the tri-series in 2025, which will take place in the build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, while England and Sri Lanka will participate in the series in October/November 2026.

The PCB has scheduled white-ball matches with one eye on the ICC global events.

While Pakistan will host the Asia Cup 2023 and triangular series in February 2025 in the lead up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, respectively, it will play 11 T20Is against the Netherlands, Ireland and England in the build up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be jointly hosted by the United States and the West Indies.

Likewise, ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan will play Australia in three home T20Is.

Apart from Australia, three other sides - Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe - will also play white-ball matches in Pakistan between 2023 and 2027.

Pakistan’s FTP 2023-2027 reflects that it will play hosts to 10 out of 12 ICC Full Member nations for the first time in more than two decades.

PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain : “While finalising our Future Tours Programme 2023-2027 in a tight and densely-packed cricket calendar, we have given priority to context, quality and player workload.  We have also tried to find an appropriate balance across all the three formats so that these continue to co-exist meaningfully.

“I am sure that our cricket fans will be delighted to know that top-ranked and attractive sides such as Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies will visit Pakistan to compete in matches for the ICC World Test Championship. Additionally, Afghanistan, Australia, Ireland and Zimbabwe will also tour Pakistan for the white-ball matches, which means 10 of the 12 ICC Full Members will play cricket in Pakistan during the four-year period.  This is exciting!

“We are also mindful that our sides must be provided with the best preparation opportunities so that they perform strongly in ICC competitions. Accordingly, this has also been an integral part of our strategy around scheduling, as we have scheduled appropriate international matches in the lead up to the ICC events.

“Furthermore, and in line with our vision for triangular ODI series to contribute in increasing excitement and attracting greater audiences, we have so far scheduled two tri-series in February 2025 and October/November 2026, involving New Zealand and South Africa, and England and Sri Lanka, respectively. This is also something for the fans to look forward to.

“The certainty and clarity around our home bilateral fixtures until 2027 provides us the platform to put together a robust commercial programme, so that we can optimise the exploitation of our commercial rights. This will enable us to hopefully increase our revenues and channel these back into the further development of our cricket, all across from our grassroots talent hunt to our international playing facilities.”

Remember, Cricket Pakistan had posted last month about the next two FTP cycles citing the possibility of change going forward.

Pakistan Men’s Future Tours Programme 2023-2027 ( all Test matches count towards the ICC World Test Championships 2023-2025 and 2025-2027 )

July – Pakistan to Sri Lanka (two Tests)

August – Pakistan to Afghanistan (three ODIs)

September – ACC 50-over Asia Cup in Pakistan

October/November – ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup India 2023

December/January – Pakistan to Australia (three Tests)

February/March – West Indies in Pakistan (two Tests, three T20Is)

May – Pakistan to Netherlands (three T20Is), Ireland (three T20Is) and England (five T20Is)

June – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup USA/West Indies 2024

August – Bangladesh in Pakistan (two Tests)

October – England in Pakistan (three Tests)

November – Pakistan to Australia (three ODIs and three T20Is)

November/December – Pakistan to Zimbabwe (three ODIs and three T20Is)

December/January – Pakistan to South Africa (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

January – Pakistan to New Zealand (three ODIs and three T20Is)

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

February/March – ICC Champions Trophy Pakistan 2025

May – Bangladesh in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan to West Indies (three ODIs, three T20Is)

August – Afghanistan in Pakistan (three T20Is)

August/September – ACC T20 Asia Cup (host/venue TBC)

September/October – Ireland in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

October/November – South Africa in Pakistan (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

February – Australia in Pakistan (three T20Is)

February/March – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India/Sri Lanka 2026

March – Australia in Pakistan (three ODIs)

March/April – Pakistan to Bangladesh (two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is)

April/May – Zimbabwe in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan to West Indies (two Tests)

August/September – Pakistan to England (three Tests)

October – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three T20Is)

October/November – England and Sri Lanka in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (two Tests)

March – New Zealand in Pakistan (two Tests)

HBL Pakistan Super League ( these are tentative windows during the 2023-2027 cycle ):

January/February 2024 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2024

March-May 2025 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2025

December 2025/January 2026 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2026

January/February 2027 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2027

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Pakistan cricket schedule: Full list of men’s Test, ODI & T20I matches in the 2023-27 FTP

The Pakistan men’s team will play 130 international matches according to ICC’s Future Tours Programme for the 2023-2027 cycle – here’s their complete schedule and fixtures list during the four-year period.

The 12 full members of the ICC are set to play more cricket according to the recently released FTP . Pakistan are scheduled to play 238 days of international cricket in the four-year window. They will also host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy  as well as the 2023 Asia Cup (50-over format).

Pakistan will play 27 World Test Championship matches (13 home, 14 away), and a minimum of 47 ODIs (26 home, 21 away) and 56 T20Is (27 home, 29 away).

As part of the 2023-25 World Test Championship , Pakistan will play the following series:

Australia (away), Bangladesh (home), South Africa (away), Sri Lanka (away) and West Indies (home).

During the 2025-27 World Test Championship , Pakistan are scheduled to play the following series:

Bangladesh (away), England (away), New Zealand (home), South Africa (home), Sri Lanka (home) and West Indies (away).

Two ODI tri-series are scheduled in Pakistan, in 2025 (New Zealand, South Africa) and 2026 (England, Sri Lanka).

Also read : Pakistan cricket schedule in 2022

Pakistan men’s cricket schedule: FTP 2023-2027

July – Pakistan in Sri Lanka (two Tests)

August – Pakistan v Afghanistan (away, three ODIs)

September – Asia Cup (hosts Pakistan)

October/November – ICC World Cup 2023 (hosts India)

December/January – Pakistan in Australia (three Tests)

January/February 2024 – Window for Pakistan Super League (PSL 2024)

February/March – West Indies in Pakistan (two Tests, three T20Is)

May – Pakistan in the Netherlands (three T20Is), Ireland (three T20Is) and England (five T20Is)

June – ICC T20 World Cup 2024 (hosts USA/West Indies)

August – Bangladesh in Pakistan (two Tests)

October – England in Pakistan (three Tests)

November – Pakistan in Australia (three ODIs and three T20Is)

November/December – Pakistan to Zimbabwe (three ODIs and three T20Is)

December/January – Pakistan to South Africa (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

January – Pakistan in New Zealand (three ODIs and three T20Is)

February – New Zealand & South Africa in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

February/March – ICC Champions Trophy 2025 (hosts Pakistan)

March-May – Window for Pakistan Super League (PSL 2025)

May – Bangladesh in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan in West Indies (three ODIs, three T20Is)

August – Afghanistan in Pakistan (three T20Is)

August/September – Asia Cup  T20 (host to be announced)

September/October – Ireland in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

October/November – South Africa in Pakistan (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

December/January – Window for Pakistan Super League (PSL 2025/26)

February – Australia in Pakistan (three T20Is)

February/March – ICC  T20 World Cup 2026 (hosts India/Sri Lanka)

March – Australia in Pakistan (three ODIs)

March/April – Pakistan in Bangladesh (two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is)

April/May – Zimbabwe in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan in West Indies (two Tests)

August/September – Pakistan in England (three Tests)

October – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three T20Is)

October/November – England and Sri Lanka in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (two Tests)

January/February – Window for Pakistan Super League (PSL 2027)

March – New Zealand in Pakistan (two Tests)

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Home Sports PCB unveils Pakistan’s Future Tours Programme from 2023 to 2027

PCB unveils Pakistan’s Future Tours Programme from 2023 to 2027

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled the country’s cricketing schedule under the next Future Tours Programme which will take place from 2023 to 2027.

According to the governing body of Pakistan cricket, player workload management, exciting bilateral series and preparations for ICC’s global events were the main cornerstones of PCB’s strategy while shaping up the schedule.

During the four-year cycle, Pakistan will contest 27 ICC World Test Championship fixtures (13 at home and 14 away), play 47 One-Day Internationals (26 at home and 21 away) and feature in 56 Twenty20 Internationals (27 home and 29 away).

The number of matches may increase depending on where Pakistan finishes in the ICC and ACC events between 2023 and 2027, as well as in the 2025 and 2026 three-nation ODI series. Pakistan also retains the option of adding more matches based on player availability and the window for international cricket in the calendar with the willingness of other countries.

In the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025, Pakistan will play Tests against Australia (away), Bangladesh (home), England (home), South Africa (away), Sri Lanka (away) and West Indies (home), while their matches in the 2025-2027 championship are against Bangladesh (away), England (away), New Zealand (home), South Africa (home), Sri Lanka (home) and West Indies (away).

In the Future Tours Programme announced by the PCB, the three-nation ODI series will make a return for the first time since 2004-05.

New Zealand and South Africa will join Pakistan in the tri-series in 2025, which will take place in the build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, while England and Sri Lanka will participate in the series in October/November 2026.

While Pakistan will host the Asia Cup 2023 and triangular series in February 2025 in the lead-up to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, respectively, it will play 11 T20Is against the Netherlands, Ireland and England in the build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which will be jointly hosted by the United States and the West Indies.

Likewise, ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan will play Australia in three home T20Is. Apart from Australia, three other sides – Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe – will also play white-ball matches in Pakistan between 2023 and 2027.

Pakistan Men’s Future Tours Programme 2023-2027

July – Pakistan to Sri Lanka (two Tests)

August – Pakistan to Afghanistan (three ODIs)

September – ACC 50-over Asia Cup in Pakistan

October/November – ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup India 2023

December/January – Pakistan to Australia (three Tests)

February/March – West Indies in Pakistan (two Tests, three T20Is)

May – Pakistan to Netherlands (three T20Is), Ireland (three T20Is) and England (five T20Is)

June – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup USA/West Indies 2024

August – Bangladesh in Pakistan (two Tests)

October – England in Pakistan (three Tests)

November – Pakistan to Australia (three ODIs and three T20Is)

November/December – Pakistan to Zimbabwe (three ODIs and three T20Is)

December/January – Pakistan to South Africa (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

January – Pakistan to New Zealand (three ODIs and three T20Is)

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

February/March – ICC Champions Trophy Pakistan 2025

May – Bangladesh in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan to West Indies (three ODIs, three T20Is)

August – Afghanistan in Pakistan (three T20Is)

August/September – ACC T20 Asia Cup (host/venue TBC)

September/October – Ireland in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

October/November – South Africa in Pakistan (two Tests, three ODIs, three T20Is)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three ODIs, three T20Is)

February – Australia in Pakistan (three T20Is)

February/March – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India/Sri Lanka 2026

March – Australia in Pakistan (three ODIs)

March/April – Pakistan to Bangladesh (two Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is)

April/May – Zimbabwe in Pakistan (three ODIs and three T20Is)

July/August – Pakistan to West Indies (two Tests)

August/September – Pakistan to England (three Tests)

October – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (three T20Is)

October/November – England and Sri Lanka in Pakistan (ODI tri-series)

November – Sri Lanka in Pakistan (two Tests)

March – New Zealand in Pakistan (two Tests)

HBL Pakistan Super League (these are tentative windows during the 2023-2027 cycle):

January/February 2024 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2024

March-May 2025 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2025

December 2025/January 2026 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2026

January/February 2027 – HBL Pakistan Super League 2027

Sports Desk

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Pakistan - Future Tour Programs

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Pakistan confirm tour of New Zealand for ODI and T20 series

N EW DELHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially announced that the national team will embark on a tour to New Zealand next year. The tour will feature three One-Day Internationals and five T20 Internationals, marking the sixth series between the two cricketing nations since 2023.

The confirmation came following a meeting between PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and New Zealand Cricket CEO Scott Weenink in Lahore. The discussions, which took place during the ongoing five-match T20I series, resulted in the finalization of the upcoming tour schedule.

During the meeting, it was agreed in principle to conduct the tour after the conclusion of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is set to be hosted by Pakistan. This decision was made in consideration of the existing ICC Future Tours Programme.

In addition to the tour arrangements, PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer and Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla were also present at the meeting. The officials discussed various aspects of the tour and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting bilateral cricketing relations between Pakistan and New Zealand.

Notably, New Zealand is also slated to tour Pakistan for a tri-nation series before the commencement of the Champions Trophy, as per the existing ICC FTP.

Reflecting on the significance of hosting international cricket events in Pakistan, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as the country's interior minister, emphasized the need for all participating nations to play matches in Pakistan without any reservations.

During the meeting, Naqvi urged the NZC official to convey the secure environment and conducive conditions in Pakistan to other ICC member nations. He highlighted Pakistan's readiness to host the Champions Trophy and reiterated the PCB's commitment to ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all teams and players.

With the tour to New Zealand and the upcoming Champions Trophy, Pakistan aims to showcase its capabilities as a host nation and further bolster its position in international cricketing circles.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Pakistan tour of Australia, 2023-24

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Pakistan Cricket Team to embark on New Zealand tour for ODI and T20I series

The pakistan cricket team is scheduled to tour new zealand for a series comprising both one-day internationals (odis) and twenty20 internationals (t20is)..

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• PCB confirms Pakistan's tour of New Zealand next year
• Tour includes three ODIs and five T20 Internationals
• This is the sixth tour between the two nations since 2023

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that its national side will tour New Zealand next year to play three ODIs and five T20 Internationals. The series, the sixth between the two nations since 2023, was finalized during a meeting between PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) CEO Scott Weenink in Lahore on the sidelines of the ongoing five-match T20I rubber. During the meeting, it was in principle decided to conduct the tour after the 2025 Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan. The meeting was also attended by PCB COO Salman Naseer and Director International Cricket Usman Wahla.

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Pakistan tour of australia, 2023/24.

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Maroof’s ’emotional’ farewell captures legacy for Pakistan women’s cricket

Trailblazing former Pakistan women’s cricket captain Bismah Maroof says ’emotional’ farewell was for team and family.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Bismah Maroof remembers the look of befuddlement that quieted the typically beaming face of her two and a half year old daughter, Fatima, as she bid a tearful goodbye to her national teammates in Karachi on Thursday.

“She had never seen us like this,” Maroof, 32, told Al Jazeera, hours after calling time on her 17-year international career.

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“Neither my teammates nor I could hold back; it was an emotional farewell as I exited the Pakistan squad and left for my hometown, Lahore. Fatima, naturally, couldn’t make sense of any of it.”

Maroof’s decision to quit international cricket came as a surprise, not least because of the timing – a day before the opening fixture of Pakistan’s home T20 international series in Karachi against the West Indies. She was part of the 16-player squad for the assignment.

“It wasn’t a sudden decision, to be honest,” Maroof, Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs and T20Is, said. “I had long pondered my international retirement, and given the T20 World Cup is just four months away, it only felt fair that I walked away before the T20I series against West Indies.

“I wasn’t sure if I could sustain myself until the World Cup, so it was best I made way for the players who deserve a proper run in the lead-up to the World Cup.

‘The time was right for my Pakistan teammates and family’

“At this phase of my life,” said Maroof, who captained Pakistan in 96 matches – 62 in T20Is and 34 in ODIs, “I felt my family should take precedence, so I discussed the matter with them and gauged it as objectively as I could.

“Walking away from a team I had been part of since I first walked into it as a 15-year-old was never going to be easy. But the time was right, for the sake of my Pakistan teammates and my family.”

Pakistan Zindabad! 🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/6otSXiXnnI — Bismah Maroof (@maroof_bismah) April 25, 2024

For someone who had become a regular companion of Maroof’s on pretty much every tour of hers since her inspirational return to professional cricket in March 2022 after childbirth, it was fitting that her daughter witnessed her final moments in the Pakistan dressing room as an international cricketer.

The social media graphic carrying Maroof’s retirement announcement unsurprisingly, too, had an image of her walking away holding her daughter’s hand.

The symbolism attached to Fatima in Maroof’s career is key to understanding the athlete’s imprint on her sport, especially in the subcontinent context.

Her legacy, after all, will be defined not only by her captaincy accomplishments, or her record 6,262 runs across 276 limited-over international appearances but also by her decision to return to top-flight cricket in March 2022, no less as captain, just six months after the birth of her first child, Fatima.

“After embracing motherhood, never did I see Bismah fall short of balancing her professional and non-professional roles,” Maroof’s close friend and longtime Pakistan teammate Javeria Khan, who retired from international cricket last month, told Al Jazeera.

“With her mother, Nighat, by her side, they both created an example out of Bismah – that a Pakistani woman can play top-level cricket after giving birth.

“She is a true icon and inspiration for so many. Pakistan cricket was really blessed to have a player like Bismah.”

A silent contributor ♥️ Aunty, words fall short to describe your contribution. You helped in Bismah’s dream to persue cricket after the arrival of Fatima. I dont think so she would have done without you. Mothers like you help their daughters to scale huge mountains. The… pic.twitter.com/LCks0Ahibv — Javeria Khan (@ImJaveria) April 25, 2024

‘Setting an example for women across the globe’

Female cricketers playing sport at the highest level after marriage, let alone childbirth, is a rarity in this part of the world. In that sense, Maroof has been an outlier.

Her pregnancy had nudged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) into formalising a paid maternity leave policy for the first time, and of which Maroof became the first beneficiary.

When she came out of her maternity leave, to lead Pakistan in the 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand, leading voices in the sport, including her contemporaries, hailed her as a groundbreaker. “…setting an example for women across the globe,” wrote star India batter Smriti Mandhana on her Instagram story with a viral picture of Fatima cradled in Maroof’s arms, surrounded by the India players, after the India vs Pakistan fixture in the world tournament.

“When I think of my return post-childbirth two years ago, I still can’t help but wonder, ‘Arre, maine yeh kaise kar liya? (How did I manage to pull it off?),’” Maroof said, smiling.

“It wasn’t easy because for nearly two years Fatima had to be breastfed. Balancing motherly duties with my playing commitments was a challenge – physically and emotionally. Without that policy or the support of my mother, father and husband, I wouldn’t have been able to play this long.”

Under the PCB policy, Pakistan’s centrally contracted cricketers are entitled to up to 12 months of paid maternity leave and are guaranteed a contract extension for the following year alongside several other benefits on either side of childbirth.

While no Pakistani cricketer has subsequently availed of the policy, Maroof has maintained that the PCB’s handling of her pregnancy could serve as a case study for other cricket-playing nations, particularly in South Asia.

“I remember when I took the pregnancy leave, I was overcome with a sense of guilt of not having done enough for Pakistan cricket, but the maternity policy fortified my desire and resolve to make a comeback,” said Maroof. “I thought: ‘If the board was doing that much for me, I had to do my best to return to Pakistan side.’

“I had a good deal of cricket left in me and I wanted to share my experiences with my other teammates, especially the younger ones.”

Looking back, Maroof describes that decision as one of the most “formative” ones, not just in her career, but also in her life.

“It’s not common in our South Asian culture for women to enter motherhood, play professional sport and carry one’s child around with oneself on sporting assignments. Because of its rarity, I knew my motherhood would be covered by global media, so it was imperative to try to be at my competitive best for my country and also highlight the role of everyone, including my teammates, who made the journey possible.”

A stylish left-hand batter who bowled part-time leg-spin, Maroof witnessed women’s cricket both in its nascency and its current professional embodiment in Pakistan. Having debuted against India in 2006, she went on to represent her country at the 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022 ODI World Cups and featured in all eight editions of the T20 World Cup to date – from 2009 to 2023.

In June 2016, she took over the T20I captaincy from the legendary Sana Mir and then the ODI reins in September 2017.

“When I started playing cricket, very few people knew that Pakistan had a women’s cricket team. Even I had no clue about women’s cricket,” Maroof said. “But things have changed over time. In Pakistani society, there’s greater acceptance of girls playing cricket now. In fact, I have seen parents encouraging their daughters to take up cricket. Social media has also played a huge part in taking women’s cricket to places it had no presence in.”

A trailblazing tale for Pakistan women’s cricket

Sana Mir, who Maroof replaced, wrote on her X social media account in response to the retirement announcement: “Sad to see you go before the ICC T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later in the year. May your decision bring you peace.

“You have been a wonderful Ambassador and a rock for Pakistan batting lineup.”

Under Maroof’s captaincy, Pakistan defeated the higher-ranked New Zealand for the first time in ODIs, in 2017. The most-capped Pakistan woman in the format, she counts that victory among her career highlights, alongside the two gold-medal triumphs in the 2009 and 2010 Asian Games.

“For me, the discipline that cricket has taught me through the ups and downs in my career and those faced by women’s cricket in Pakistan has one of my biggest takeaways from my 17 years wearing the national jersey,” Maroof said.

“It’s built my core and identity.”

Beyond playing league cricket, Maroof said she hasn’t invested much thought yet in what her life might look like after her international retirement. As a self-avowed woman of few words, she believes she’s not cut out for commentary, but promises to keep a close eye on how the women’s game in Pakistan progresses hereon.

“The struggles my generation of female cricketers, or those before us like Sana experienced, are no longer there,” she said. “But there’s pressure of expectations on the younger lot. And to meet those expectations, our domestic structure needs strengthening and align it with the standard of international cricket.

“I hope to see Pakistan among the top four international teams because there’s no dearth of talent in our country.”

A smidgen of support might be all that is needed, as is borne out by Maroof’s trailblazing tale.

RR won by 7 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)

Pakistan won by 9 runs

DC won by 10 runs

ZIM Women won by 8 wickets (with 27 balls remaining)

SL Women won by 10 wickets (with 59 balls remaining)

Day 2 - Essex trail by 44 runs.

Day 2 - Hampshire trail by 177 runs.

Day 2 - Warwickshire trail by 329 runs.

Day 2 - Worcester trail by 202 runs.

Day 2 - Gloucs lead by 68 runs.

Day 2 - Leics trail by 356 runs.

Day 2 - Derbyshire trail by 260 runs.

SE Stars won by 71 runs (D/L method)

Sunrisers won by 7 wickets (with 127 balls remaining)

Storm won by 66 runs

Vipers won by 70 runs (D/L method)

Uganda Women won by 8 wickets (with 10 balls remaining)

Neth Women won by 100 runs

Nepal won by 4 wickets (with 2 balls remaining)

Gujarat Titans

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Match yet to begin

Chennai Super Kings

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Pakistan Women

West Indies Women

West Indies A

Bangladesh Women

India Women

NZ v PAK 2023/24 Schedule & Results

New Zealand

New Zealand won by 46 runs

New Zealand won by 21 runs

New Zealand won by 45 runs

New Zealand won by 7 wickets (with 11 balls remaining)

Pakistan won by 42 runs

Pakistan in New Zealand 2024 Matches

Top wicket takers, top run scorers.

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India may not travel to Pakistan for Champions Trophy: BCCI sources

The Asia Cup 2023 was also co-hosted by Pakistan in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka after India refused to travel to the country. read more

Will Team India travel to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy? It’s a question on everyone’s mind, but a latest news report has suggested that the Men in Blue may not travel to Pakistan next year and the tournament could be shifted out or can be played in a hybrid model. As per news agency IANS , a source in BCCI has said that the chances of Team India travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy are next to zero.

“Forget bilateral series…Team India may not even travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. There might be a change of venue, hybrid model is also possible,” the source said. “The Indian board would need permission from the government for travel, currently our relations with Pakistan are not that good either,” sources revealed.

“Champions Trophy is an ICC event, so it would be a tough call for India but nothing without the government’s order/green signal. Bilateral series, I don’t see in the near future, that’s next to impossible.”

The Asia Cup 2023 was also co-hosted by Pakistan in a hybrid model with Sri Lanka after India refused to travel to the country.

The 2025 Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place in Pakistan in February-March next year. This will be the first ICC event in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.