Pakistan and Bangladesh decided to remove One Day Internationals (ODIs) from their upcoming bilateral series in May and July. Instead, they will play Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) to prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Director of Media and Communications, Sami Ul Hasan, confirmed the change on Sunday. He stated that both teams want to focus on T20 cricket ahead of 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka in February.
Bangladesh was originally set to tour Pakistan in May for three ODIs and three T20Is under the Future Tours Programme (FTP). However, Pakistan and Bangladesh boards agreed to replace the ODIs with two additional T20Is, making it a five-match T20I series.
Similarly, Pakistan was scheduled to visit Bangladesh in July for three ODIs, which were not part of the FTP. These matches will also be replaced with a three-match T20I series.
Before the T20 World Cup, both teams will also compete in the Asia Cup in India this September. The tournament will be played in the T20 format.
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Currently, Pakistan is playing a five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The hosts lead the series 3-1, with one game left to play. After this, Pakistan and New Zealand will face off in a three-match ODI series from 29 March to 5 April.
Following these international commitments, Pakistan’s players will shift their focus to the 10th edition of the PSL. The tournament will take place from 11 April to 18 May, providing another platform for players to prepare for the T20 World Cup.
This shift in scheduling highlights Pakistan and Bangladesh teams’ commitment to strengthening their T20 performances ahead of the global event.
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