After not visiting Pakistan for 19 years, New Zealand will return twice in five months to play two Tests, eight ODIs, and five T20Is. It means that New Zealand will not play any home games between Christmas and New Year’s this year, and will have to contend with an IPL clash during the second part of the Pakistan visit in April and May next year.
The two Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship and will be held at Karachi (December 27-31) and Multan (December 31-January 1). (January 4-8). The teams will return to Karachi for three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) as part of the ICC Super League on January 11, 13, and 15.
New Zealand then returns to Pakistan in April and May to play five additional ODIs and five T20Is that are not part of the Super League. The first four Twenty20 Internationals will be played in Karachi on April 13, 15, 16, and 19, followed by a trip to Lahore for the fifth T20I and the first two ODIs on April 23, 26, and 28. The series concludes with three one-day internationals in Rawalpindi on May 1, 4, and 7.
The first visit is part of the Future Tours Programme, while the second was agreed to make up for the matches lost after New Zealand cancelled their limited-overs tour of Pakistan minutes before the first ODI in September 2021, claiming scheduling conflicts.”
New Zealand is one of the high-performing sides and the more we will play against the top teams in our backyard, the better we will get as a unit, which is crucial to our objective of featuring inside the top three across all formats,” Zakir Khan, PCB director – international cricket, said in a statement. “The New Zealand matches will also provide opportunities to our youngsters to continue to watch and follow their favourite players in action, something they have missed when we were forced to play our international cricket offshore.
New Zealand last toured Pakistan in November 2003, and their return follows the tours of Australia and England to the country this year after a gap of 24 and 17 years respectively.
“I know our players can’t wait to arrive and savour the experience of playing in Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi – places that carry a great cricketing heritage,” NZC CEO David White said. “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us.”
