Australia return to Pakistan for first ODI series since 2022
Rawalpindi will host the opener on May 30 while Lahore will act as host to shows on June 2 and 4
By our correspondent
LAHORE: Australia’s men’s cricket team will return to Pakistan later this month for a three-match One-Day International series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday.
The tour marks Australia’s first bilateral ODI visit to the country since 2022, signaling a further normalization of top-tier cricket schedules in Pakistan. The world champions are scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on May 23 to begin their preparations.
The series opener will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on May 30, before the action shifts to Lahore’s historic Gaddafi Stadium for the final two fixtures on June 2 and June 4.
The announcement comes on the heels of a successful stint for Australia in Pakistan earlier this year. While the visitors claimed a five-wicket victory over England at the Gaddafi Stadium during the ICC Champions Trophy in February, they struggled in their last bilateral encounter on Pakistani soil. In January, a dominant Pakistan side secured a 3-0 clean sweep in a T20I series held entirely in Lahore.
“The upcoming series is a vital part of our summer schedule and provides fans another opportunity to see world-class talent on home soil,” a PCB official said.
Cricket Australia has increasingly integrated Pakistan into its touring cycle, following a landmark multi-format tour in March and April 2022 that ended a 24-year absence from the country due to security concerns.
To accommodate local broadcasting and summer temperatures, all three matches are scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), with the toss taking place 30 minutes prior to play.
Australia Tour of Pakistan Schedule:
• May 23: Australia arrival in Islamabad
• May 30: 1st ODI – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
• June 2: 2nd ODI – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• June 4: 3rd ODI – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
