Match dates, start times, team news, squads, TV and streaming information, and more for the upcoming series
What is it?
Pakistan host England in seven T20Is in a warm-up series ahead of the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
First T20I: Tuesday, September 20 – National Stadium, Karachi (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Second T20I: Thursday, September 22 – National Stadium, Karachi (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Third T20I: Friday, September 23 – National Stadium, Karachi (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Fourth T20I: Sunday, September 25 – National Stadium, Karachi (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Fifth T20I: Wednesday, September 28 – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Sixth T20I: Friday, September 30 – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
Seventh T20I: Sunday, October 2 – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (3.30pm BST, 7.30pm PKT)
It is a microcosm of the cricketing and social landscape that England’s first tour of Pakistan is being billed as some kind of triumph.
Because make no mistake, regardless of how successful the seven T20Is and three Tests are over the coming months (and they will be), it is a scandal that it has taken 17 years to get these two sides back together, surrounded by one of the sport’s hotbeds.
When the plug was pulled on last year’s trip over security concerns, it eventually signalled the end of Ian Watmore’s brief tenure as ECB chair and sparked immediate recovery talks between the two nations.
“Disappointed with England, pulling out of their commitment & failing a member of their Cricket fraternity when it needed it most,” tweeted Pakistan Cricket Board chair Ramiz Raja.
“Survive we will inshallah. A wake-up call for Pak team to become the best team in the world for teams to line up to play them without making excuses.”
He had a point. Pakistan had risked plenty by spending two months in biosecure bubbles to serve a financially-stricken ECB the previous summer. England’s hasty withdrawal was handled badly, even as “the mental and physical wellbeing of our players and support staff” was put first.
Shan Masood gets his opportunity at long last (MAHMOUD KHALED/AFP via Getty Images)
Two T20I doubleheaders with the men and women – who would stay on for three ODIs – has turned into a seven-match men’s-only 20-over series. Even in an era where the explosion of white-ball cricket has jumped the shark, it is an extraordinary schedule.
Neither side has ever played a bilateral series of this length before. And how relevant it will be before a T20 World Cup in Australia (where the two sides face each other again in a warm-up match) is uncertain.
It is also a shame to see Heather Knight’s side omitted as England women prepared for their very first tour of Pakistan. Those doubleheaders, in particular, would have been spectacular.
Having seen New Zealand and England cancel trips, Pakistan were fortunate that others did not follow suit. Since reaching the World Cup semi-finals they have hosted Bangladesh, West Indies and then Australia for the first time in 24 years, and the PSL went swimmingly.
Babar Azam’s side looked set for the ideal build-up for the World Cup, beating India on their way to the Asia Cup final. But they were upset by Sri Lanka in Dubai.
Of the steps Pakistan cricket had taken back towards being a prominent member of the sport’s top table, the arrival of England is the latest. Captain Jos Buttler says a five-figure donation will be made to the Disasters Emergency Committee following the floods that have devastated large parts of the country.
While it is an appropriate response to a humanitarian emergency, it is also the extension of an olive branch between the two countries. England have been afforded VVIP status, which means a substantial military presence tracks their every move, such is the pressure to ensure this trip goes off without a hitch.
Once the first ball goes down in Karachi much of what has gone before will be water under the bridge. Time for cricket to take over, finally.
Pakistan are giving Shaheen Shah Afridi every possible chance of being fit for the men’s T20 World Cup by leaving him out of the squad. The left-armer is nursing a knee injury but it is hoped he will be fit for the tournament starting next month.
Fakhar Zaman is also missing having suffered a knee injury of his own during the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka and he is only on the reserve list for the World Cup.
Luke Wood has been rewarded for his fine domestic white-ball form (David Rogers/Getty Images)
Two uncapped players get a chance to impress on the international stage for the first time. Abrar Ahmed is a 23-year-old legspinner who has taken nine wickets in the National T20 Cup, while Aamir Jamal is a medium-pace allrounder who has claimed nine wickets and scored 165 runs at a strike rate of 194.
A familiar face in Shan Masood also gets the chance to impress, after earning his maiden T20I call-up. Also included in the World Cup party, the left-hander has 1,248 T20 runs at 39 in 2022 – the second most by any man during the calendar year.
There can be little doubting the headline inclusion in England’s touring party, with the return of Alex Hales to the fold for his first international series in three-and-a-half years.
It took an injury to Jonny Bairstow and a loss of form for Jason Roy to earn him a return but he is a major boost to the team’s hopes of claiming a series win and adding the T20 World Cup to their 50over crown.
Hales leapfrogged the likes of Will Jacks and Will Smeed (who is omitted from the trip altogether) but the former will be eager to deliver a message to the selectors.
Jordan Cox and Luke Wood are the other uncapped players involved following consistent seasons in the T20 Blast and the men’s Hundred, though neither are going on to Australia.
The matches will be important for the likes of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood on their return from injuries which have meant neither has played a competitive match this summer.
Moeen Ali captains the side for the start of the series with Buttler being given extra time to recover from a calf injury that forced him out of The Hundred, and Liam Livingstone is also missing due to an ankle problem.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Aamir Jamal, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir
England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson, Richard Gleeson, Alex Hales, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Luke Wood, Mark Wood
Pakistan are reeling from defeat in the Asia Cup final to Sri Lanka (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Pakistan start the series as favourites for the first T20I at 8/11, while England can be backed at 11/10.
Sky Sports have the rights to all seven T20s, with coverage available on Sky Sports Main Event (Sky 401, Virgin 501) and Sky Sports Cricket (Sky 404, Virgin 504).
Test Match Special have the rights to broadcast ball-by-ball commentary of the tour. Coverage is accessible via BBC Radio Five Live Sports Extra on the BBC Sport website, the BBC Sounds App and most smart speakers.
Fans in Pakistan can watch the series via PTV Sports, Ten Sports and A Sports HD.
For those in India and across most of the sub-continent, Sony Six, Sony Six HD and Sony Ten 2 will carry the coverage.
Fox Sports Cricket have the rights in Australia, SuperSport are the broadcasters in South Africa and Willow TV is the place to go in the United States.
In Bangladesh, Rabbitholebd and Gazi TV have the live footage and Channel Eye (SLRC) will provide followers in Sri Lanka to the action.
beIN Sports have the live rights for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Somalia.
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