Ireland will have to wait another two years for their historic first-ever tour of Pakistan. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has pulled the plug on the original 2025 dates, deciding the window was unworkable and shoving the six-match white-ball series all the way to 2027.
The tour, which was meant to be Ireland’s maiden visit, had been scheduled for September and October 2025.
PCB officials confirmed the series has been removed from the 2025-26 home season calendar and will now be scheduled in the following season, with both boards exploring dates in 2027.
“We wanted to balance content and planning better across the two seasons,” the PCB’s international cricket department told ESPNcricinfo. “It made more sense to spread the fixtures further out, as we already have substantial content leading into the Asia Cup and the World Cup.”
Congested Schedule
Pakistan’s calendar has become increasingly crowded. The team is currently hosting a white-ball series against West Indies and will follow with a tri-series involving UAE and Afghanistan.
The Asia Cup finally got the green light for September 2025, after all the uncertainty caused by the political issues between India and Pakistan. But the ink was barely dry on that announcement before another scheduling headache appeared: Pakistan is set to host South Africa for two Tests right after, in early October.
That brutal back-to-back schedule means something had to give. The PCB looked at the calendar and realized there was simply no way to squeeze in the Ireland series without risking player burnout and being underprepared for the crucial Test matches.
Focus on T20 Cricket
Pakistan’s current strategy emphasizes T20 cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup. The PCB has already shifted its home series against Bangladesh to a T20-heavy format and explored turning the ongoing series against West Indies into T20s only.
The T20 series against Afghanistan has also expanded into a tri-series, further packing the white-ball schedule.
Ireland Agreement
Ireland had no major fixture clashes during the original window, but the decision to postpone was reached jointly. The series remains a priority for both boards, given it will be Ireland’s first visit to Pakistan.
For now, the PCB’s focus stays on its immediate schedule, which leads into the Asia Cup, South Africa Tests, and a packed T20 run-up to the next World Cup.
