Karachi left out of Pakistan’s upcoming international cricket fixtures

International cricket in Pakistan is experiencing a resurgence, but Karachi, one of the country’s most historic cricketing centers, has been left out of the upcoming home fixtures. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently confirmed that the South Africa tour of Pakistan and the T20I tri-series involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka will be played in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, with no matches scheduled for Karachi.

This decision has sparked debate among supporters and analysts alike, as Karachi has long been associated with Pakistan's cricketing history. The National Stadium has witnessed several of the country's earliest games. In recent times, however, Karachi has seen a surplus of international cricket. There are multiple reasons for the PCB's decision. 

First, safety. Pakistan has done well to revive international cricket after what was basically a 10-year hiatus, but it is still a bitter subject for the people of Karachi to dive into the idea of any past terrorist incidents that have tarnished their history. Security is often at the forefront of any board or player's mind, so it is possible that the PCB leaned toward other venues that were thought to be better to host visiting crews.

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Karachi misses out as PCB shifts matches to other cities

Another data point could be that Karachi, while it has hosted PSL matches, both presentation views and fan attendance have raised concerns over the stadium, and surprisingly, in the attendance of fans. For example, Lahore and Rawalpindi have nearly always been more populated. Presently, Rawalpindi boasts a better-looking stadium. In comparison with both venues, upon any venue selection, it makes total sense for international scheduling.

Moreover, the PCB is seemingly considering a grander plan to expand cricket across Pakistan. The PCBs need to allocate fixtures in different cities is valuable because fans are able to see those players live in many regions of the country, which strengthens not only the game but the cricketing culture of many regions. Faisalabad is important because it shows that PCB is looking to put smaller cities back on the international cricket map.

That said, Karachi has not been forgotten. Earlier in the calendar year, Karachi successfully hosted matches in the ICC Champions Trophy in February 2025. However, the absence of Karachi to host matches in two larger series later in the calendar year shows that the cricketing calendar is changing, and two larger series occurred away from Karachi.

For Karachi's passionate cricket community, the hope remains for Karachi to once again return as a regular host of international fixtures and have the world’s best teams return to play matches at the historic ground.