The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering alternative venues such as Sri Lanka or the UAE for Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against England. This decision comes after the Shan Masood-led team experienced a whitewash against Bangladesh in a two-match Test series on home soil. The second Test of that series, initially planned for Karachi, was shifted to Rawalpindi due to construction work at Karachi National Stadium for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
With renovations ongoing at Karachi National Stadium, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, hosting future matches in Pakistan has become uncertain. It is possible that Masood and his team will play the Test series abroad, with Sri Lanka and the UAE being the most likely options.
Pakistan is set to host England for a three-match Test series, which is part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for 2023-25. The first Test will take place in Multan on October 7, followed by the second Test in Karachi on October 15, and the final Test in Rawalpindi on October 24.
However, if PCB chooses the UAE as the venue, Abu Dhabi would be the only available option due to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, which will occupy Dubai and Sharjah from October 3 to 20.
Pakistan is eager to regain form after their recent struggles. The team has dropped to eighth in the ICC Test rankings, their lowest position since 1965, except for a period when they were not ranked due to a lack of matches.
This series will be a crucial opportunity for Pakistan to bounce back and regain momentum in the WTC standings after getting humbled by Bangladesh 2-0 in the home series.
