In an exciting development for women’s cricket in Pakistan, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the nation will host England, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe women’s cricket teams for the first time, as part of the Future Tours Programme (FTP) 2025-29. The new schedule also includes a historic first-time participation of Zimbabwe in the ICC Women’s Championship, marking a pivotal moment in the expansion of women’s cricket.
The ICC’s Future Tours Programme lays out a detailed roadmap for international women’s cricket over the next four years. Zimbabwe’s tour to Pakistan is scheduled for April-May 2026, followed by New Zealand in April 2027, and then England, who will visit in October of the same year. These matches will be part of the fourth cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship, which runs from 2026 to 2029. The Championship serves as a direct qualifier for the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup in 2029 and will feature 11 teams for the first time. In the championship, each team will play four home and four away series against eight other sides, a format designed to ensure balanced and competitive matches.
As the Women’s Championship advances, Pakistan home schedule includes hosting Bangladesh in October 2028, rounding out their roster of four home series. For their away commitments, Pakistan’s women’s team will travel to South Africa in February 2026, Sri Lanka in July 2026, the West Indies in November 2026, and Ireland in June 2028. Each of these series will consist of three ODIs, culminating in a total of 132 ODIs across 44 series in the Women’s Championship.
To further prepare for upcoming ICC tournaments, the FTP has introduced annual ICC Women’s events, starting with the Women’s Cricket World Cup in India in 2025, followed by the Women’s T20 World Cup in England in 2026, and the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027. Additionally, the Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in 2028.
Beyond bilateral series, members have also scheduled tri-series tournaments as part of their ICC event preparations. One such series, set for 2026, will see Ireland host both Pakistan and the West Indies as teams refine their squads and strategies for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
This schedule underscores the ICC’s commitment to promoting women’s cricket and providing platforms for rising cricketing nations. For Pakistan, the opportunity to host top-tier teams such as England and New Zealand reflects the growing support and enthusiasm for women’s cricket in the country, promising an exciting era for fans and players alike.
