Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) hope of hosting the ICC Champions Trophy at home in 2025 could end up hurting them. Due to the ongoing renovations at the three venues of the mega-event (Multan, Karachi, and Rawalpindi), the upcoming Pakistan vs England 3-match Test series could be shifted to the UAE or Sri Lanka.
Lahore won’t be hosting any matches until the Champions Trophy, so all the matches must be played at the three venues. With construction going around, crowds won’t be present, and the PCB feels that isn’t feasible. They don’t want to stop the renovations as it could directly affect the Champions Trophy, and playing while the stadiums are under construction can be problematic for players.
“Matches may move back and forth, but the main target is that these stadiums are ready before the Champions Trophy. Right now we have five months. In that time, definitely the two enclosures on either side [in the Gaddafi stadium] and the main building [will be ready], that is the focus for now,” Naqvi had said last month on the renovations.
If, for some reason, the series has to be stopped midway, it will affect Pakistan’s already small chances of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025. Therefore, PCB might change the location. In the UAE, only Abu Dhabi is a viable option, as Dubai and Sharjah are already booked for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The other option is Sri Lanka, but they are also hosting New Zealand for a test series during October.
Pakistan vs England Test series schedule
| Test | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | October 7-11 | Multan Cricket Stadium |
| 2nd | October 15-19 | National Stadium Karachi |
| 3rd | October 24-28 | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium |
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