The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the full schedule for New Zealand’s white-ball tour of India, set to take place in January 2026. The series would be a crucial component of India's build-up before the ICC T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka later in the year. The tour consists of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).

The three-game ODI series starts on January 11 in Baroda, with the other games taking place in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and 18 respectively. The five T20Is will be played immediately after, from January 21 in Nagpur to January 31 in Thiruvananthapuram. The ODI matches are all scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST, whereas the T20Is are to commence at 7:00 PM IST under lights.

These fixtures were ratified in the Apex Council Meeting of June 14. In addition to the international fixtures, the BCCI also unveiled the domestic cricket calendar for the season 2025–26, beginning with the Duleep Trophy on August 28. The Ranji Trophy will be conducted in two phases, one from October 15 to November 19, and the second from January 22 to February 1. The grand final is on February 28, 2026.

New Zealand Tour of India 2026 – Full Schedule

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Further, India's top domestic T20 tournament, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, is set to take place from November 26 to December 18. With international fixtures and a tight domestic season, Indian cricket is set for an action-packed and closely watched calendar year.

The T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2025 has the potential to be an exciting spectacle as both teams get ready to play a three-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Originally scheduled to be a five-match series with matches in Faisalabad and Lahore, the series was revised to three T20s by the PCB in consultation with the BCB due to logistical issues and security issues and was confirmed as a three-match T20I series. The series will be Pakistan's first assignment since hiring new head coach Mike Hesson, who will be looking to implement an attacking, modern style of cricket, while Bangladesh will look towards its T20I captain Litton Das to lead the team, and the tour offers the team an early opportunity to prepare for future T20 tournaments, including the 2026 T20 World Cup. 

How and Where to Watch Live

Cricket fans in India will not be able to watch the Pakistan vs. Bangladesh T20I series live on television, as no Indian TV channels have the telecast rights for telecasting live cricket from Pakistan. Moreover, there is no news about live video streaming options in India for watching these matches live. But fans can catch live scores and updates through ESPNcricinfo, Cricbuzz, and Tapmad. Internationally the matches will be shown on:

• Pakistan: A Sports, Ten Sports, Tamasha, Tapmad
• Bangladesh: T Sports
• North America: Willow
• South Africa: Super Sports
• Sri Lanka: Dialog

For real-time updates, fans can also check social media platforms like X for live commentary and highlights. Note that the Decision Review System (DRS) will not be available for this series, as confirmed by Pakistan’s coach Mike Hesson.

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Squad Details

Pakistan Squad: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub.

Bangladesh Squad: Litton Das (c & wk), Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.

PAK vs BAN: Match Details

The revised three-match T20I series will be played entirely at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, with all matches starting at 8:00 PM local time (8:30 PM IST). Below is the detailed schedule:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) claimed their second straight T20I win against Bangladesh to secure their stunning home T20I series win against Bangladesh, which was their first international series win against the ICC Full Member Bangladesh. 

At the 1-1 series level, the UAE captain chose to field first in Sharjah after winning the toss in the series-decider third and final match of the series. After a horrible start, Bangladesh scored 162/9 in 20 overs, which wasn't enough for the visitors. The hosts chased down the target in 19.1 overs after losing only three wickets to seal the home T20I series by 2-1.

UAE vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I: Bangladesh batting faced collapse, and Haider Ali dominated with the ball

From the second over of the match, Bangladesh lost their wickets at regular intervals. While the visitors scored 49/4 at the end of the powerplay, they were struggling at 84/8 and 128/9. The hosts' bowlers were mostly in control, apart from conceding 26 runs in the final over of the innings, including two no balls by the UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem, who delivered two beamers in that over that resulted in a forced change of the bowler for the final delivery of the over. Alishan Sharafu delivered the final ball of the innings and conceded three runs on the free-hit delivery. 

Left-arm spinner Haider Ali was exceptional with the bowling figures of 4-1-7-3 as Bangladesh's batting experienced a horrible collapse. Opener Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored a century in the series opener, scored a golden duck in the series decider. While his opening partner Tanzid Hasan scored 40 off 18 balls (four fours and four sixes), Jaker Ali fought hard with his 41 off 34 balls (one four and three sixes) despite struggling on the field. During the innings, Ali had a concussion test after he made a successful desperate attempt to save his wicket, which he passed. 

In the final moment of the innings, Hasan Mahmud (26 not out off 15 balls; three sixes) and Shoriful Islam (16 not out off seven balls; one four and one six) added some important runs. 

Apart from Haider Ali, Matiullah Khan (2/41) and Saghir Khan (2/36) were the other UAE bowlers to record more than one wicket in the first innings of the match.

See Also: Trauma Forces Nahid Rana Out of Bangladesh vs Pakistan Series, BCB Confirms

UAE vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I: Alishan Sharafu and Asif Khan strongly controlled the chasing

In reply, the UAE skipper and opener Muhammad Waseem lost his wicket early for nine runs. However, another opener Muhammad Zohaib and the series-finale hero Alishan Sharafu had a 44-run partnership for the second wicket to provide a crucial start for the hosts. Although Zohaib was dismissed for 29 runs, and Rahul Chopra (13) followed him quickly, Sharafu got solid support from Asif Khan, as their 87-run partnership for the unbroken fourth wicket secured a comfortable victory for the UAE. While Sharafu scored 68 not out off 47 balls (five fours and three sixes), Asif scored 41 not out off 26 balls, including five sixes. 

While Bangladesh started this series, which was originally a two-match T20I series before adding one more game just before the second T20I of the series, with a 27-run win, the hosts UAE leveled the series by winning the second game by two wickets with one ball to spare. It was also the UAE's first international victory against Bangladesh, and they completed a historic T20I series win on Wednesday night (May 21) by claiming a seven-wicket victory. The UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem won the Player of the Series award after finishing as the leading run-scorer in the series with 145 runs in three innings. 

It was the second time that the UAE won an international cricket series against a Test-playing nation (ICC Full Member). In October 2021, the UAE secured a 2-1 home T20I series win against Ireland.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally issued a changed schedule for the forthcoming three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Bangladesh. The whole series will be staged at Lahore's legendary Gaddafi Stadium between 28 May and 1 June 2025, with every match set to start at 8:00 PM local time, providing fans with prime-time cricket action under the lights.

The Bangladesh side will reach Lahore on 25 May and will have training sessions on 26 and 27 May as a part of their pre-series preparations. This series is especially important for Pakistan since it will be the first international assignment for newly appointed head coach Mike Hesson. The New Zealander will assume responsibility after the conclusion of the HBL PSL X, which concludes on 25 May. The Pakistan team selection is a testament to a keen emphasis on home performers since several players have been given call-ups as a result of their performances in the just-concluded PSL.

Revised Match Schedule:

• 1st T20I – Wednesday, 28 May – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 2nd T20I – Friday, 30 May – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 3rd T20I – Sunday, 1 June – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

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squads

Pakistan T20I Team

Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Shadab Khan (Vice-Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (Wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (Wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub

Bangladesh T20I Team

Litton Das (Captain), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan (Vice-Captain), Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam

With Pakistan possessing a new coaching set-up and a well-balanced Bangladesh side set to do battle, the series holds out the promise of three action-packed nights of T20 cricket at one of the nation's most recognized grounds.

KL Rahul is set for a comeback into India's T20 International team for the Bangladesh tour in August 2025. His phenomenal comeback during the IPL 2025 campaign has impressed the selectors, making him very much in the running to get picked in the T20I and ODI teams for the series consisting of three matches each in the two formats. This will be India's and Bangladesh's first-ever bilateral T20I series played on Bangladeshi soil.

Rahul, who has played 72 T20Is for India and registered more than 2,200 runs, last turned up in the shortest format in the T20 World Cup semifinal against England in November 2022. Following a break from the T20 setup, his current form in the IPL has revived hopes of a comeback.

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Rahul’s IPL Heroics Fuel Hopes for Bangladesh Tour Comeback

In a standout IPL 2025 innings against Gujarat Titans, Rahul smashed an unbeaten 112 off just 65 balls, including 14 fours and 4 sixes. This inning also gave him the tag of the fastest Indian to score 8,000 T20 runs, completing the feat in only 224 innings, eclipsing the earlier record by Virat Kohli. In 11 matches till now in this IPL, Rahul has hit 493 runs with a strike rate of 148.04, including three half-centuries and a hundred. He has also adapted to opening from the middle-order successfully, which indicates how versatile he is.

Selectors are eager to name Rahul in the team, not only for the tour of Bangladesh but also keeping in mind the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup that will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. His steady performances make him a top bet for the national team in the future. The last team for the Bangladesh tour is likely to be announced very soon, and if Rahul continues his form, then his selection looks imminent. With senior batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli opting out of international cricket, Rahul's experience and leadership will play a pivotal role as India tries to shore up its batting order in T20Is.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is treading on thin ice while considering the risk of their upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan, which commences on May 21, 2025. The tour includes five T20 matches in Faisalabad and Lahore under a cloud, given rising tensions between India and Pakistan that have already led to cancellations of the IPL and PSL. With the world of cricket on tenterhooks, the BCB is in continuous discussions with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to gauge the situation, leaving fans such as myself pondering if the tour is set to go through.

Safety of players is at the forefront of the BCB's minds, and they're not leaving anything to chance. In a recent statement, the board made it clear: “Every decision about this tour will be made after fully assessing the situation in Pakistan. We will do what is best for our team and for Bangladesh cricket.” The geopolitical instability, accentuated by India's Operation Sindoor and a recent drone attack close to Rawalpindi, has placed global cricket in the region on unstable footing, and the BCB is not inclined to jeopardize their team's health in an unstable environment.

Before heading to Pakistan, Bangladesh is gearing up for a brief stop in the UAE, where they’ll face the United Arab Emirates in two T20Is on May 17 and 19 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. This series is a crucial part of their preparation for the Pakistan tour—if it happens. With an international-packed calendar on their schedule, culminating in the impending 2026 T20 World Cup, the BCB has its priority in getting players match-fit, prioritizing safety second.

PSL Fallout and Bangladesh's Next Steps

The suspension of PSL 2025 has already impacted Bangladesh players, with Rishad Hossain of Lahore Qalandars and Nishad Rana of Peshawar Zalmi returning to Dhaka after the league was halted on May 9. Both players, who are both key components of the Bangladesh T20 setup, are going to arrive with the national team for their tour of UAE on Wednesday and will now shift their attention to international affairs.

BCB involved in "active discussions" with PCB on upcoming Pakistan tour#BCB #PCBhttps://t.co/RO7wzwE4s1

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) May 11, 2025

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The BCB is obviously prioritizing the safety of their players and getting them set for their series in the UAE and possible tour of Pakistan. With tensions boiling over, the cricketing fraternity waits to see if Bangladesh will turn out in Pakistan—or if this tour is another victim of geopolitical tensions.

New Zealand has again demonstrated their superiority over Pakistan, taking the ODI series 2-0* after thrashing them 4-1 in the T20I series. What's more impressive? They did it without 11 of their most important players!

No Big Names? No Problem!

New Zealand was missing some of their biggest stars:

• No Kane Williamson
• No Mitchell Santner
• No Rachin Ravindra
• No Devon Conway
• No Lockie Ferguson
• No Glenn Phillips
• No Matt Henry
• No Kyle Jamieson
• No Tom Latham
• No Will Young
• No Ish Sodhi

Despite this, the Black Caps dominated Pakistan across formats, demonstrating the depth and power of their cricketing system.

Pakistan Left Pondering Answers

Pakistan entered the series with a close to full-strength team but couldn't keep up with New Zealand's intensity and execution. The T20I series was concluded in a 4-1 thrashing, and now the ODIs have been concluded in New Zealand's favor as well.

This overawing performance is indicative of New Zealand's phenomenal team culture and depth of talent pool. Even with their superstars missing, they still manage to win.

Pakistan, however, will have to look back on these crushing losses and work on how to regain their momentum.

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T20I Series: A 4-1 Thrashing

Pakistan, with their near-strength team, had great expectations of victorious wins in the T20I series. New Zealand's second-string team crushed them 4-1, revealing glaring gaps in Pakistan's game.

ODI Series: Kiwis Seal the Trophy 2-0

The ODIs were also on the same page. New Zealand was merciless, dominating Pakistan with intelligent strategies and clinical performances. Even without their lead stars, they appeared much stronger than Pakistan, who fought with both bat and ball.

What This Means for New Zealand

This series victory is an exhibition of the solidity and robustness of New Zealand's cricket structure. Despite lacking their established players, they have managed to secure victories comfortably. Their capacity to develop young cricketers and sustain a stable team culture is one of the largest explanations of their ongoing performance in international cricket.

What This Means for Pakistan

This is a wake-up call for Pakistani cricket. Beating a decimated New Zealand team in both T20Is and ODIs is a serious cause for concern. With their full-strength team, they should have done better, but instead, they seemed clueless. Their batting was inconsistent, and their bowling was ineffective.

New Zealand has again humiliated Pakistan on their home soil, even though they were missing 11 of their main players. This overawing performance says a lot about their cricket set-up, whereas Pakistan has to return to the drawing board and sort out problems before their next major challenge.

Pakistan will tour New Zealand for a T20I series, and the selection committee is likely to bring some new faces along with seasoned players. The team has a combination of all-rounders, pace bowlers, and hard-hitting batters.
The team has players such as Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem, along with new faces like Irfan Khan and Jahandad Khan. Following is the likely squad:

Likely Squad

🚨Pakistan's likely T20I squad for New Zealand tour.

- Shadab, Haris, Sufiyan, Arafat, Irfan Khan, Zaman Khan, Wasim Jr, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar, Omair Bin Yousuf, Khushdil, Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed and Khawaja Nafay. pic.twitter.com/gKNp0Uci1s

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 2, 2025

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This team represents Pakistan's plan to strike a balance between inexperience and experience. Having youth players included means that the management has the strategy of developing future stars well before big events.
Pakistan will be looking for a good outing against New Zealand, and people cannot wait to witness how this team fares

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to include new-found talents in the March-April T20I series against New Zealand. This is being done after Pakistan's humiliating Champions Trophy exit when they became the first team to be knocked out despite being the host country. Based on reports, emerging talents from national cricket have been summoned to Lahore to attend a meeting with board officials during the selection process. The effort goes with Pakistan's vision for the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

🚨Mohammad Rizwan has been removed from T20I captaincy after today's meeting with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. [Ejaz Wasim Bukhari]

- Shadab Khan is likely to lead the Pakistan T20I squad for New Zealand tour. pic.twitter.com/yKrZsTU7y5

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 1, 2025

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Meanwhile, ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif came up with a list of youth players to be considered for the next series. His suggestions are Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, and Muhammad Nafay. Besides, he thinks all-rounder Shadab Khan is the best choice to be the captain of the T20I team.
The wicketkeeper batter further shared some more names for the likely squad which are Muhammad Haris, Sufyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Omair Bin Yousuf and Khushdil Shah.
The Pakistani team will leave for New Zealand on March 12, and the five-match T20I series will start on March 16. Besides the T20Is, Pakistan will also feature in three ODIs, and the tour will last until April 5. Meanwhile, there are reports that some of the senior players are considering a break from international cricket after their dismal performances in the Champions Trophy.
Major players like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Babar Azam are said to be in the discussion in the selection meetings with some thinking of pulling out from the tour to prevent themselves from being dropped.

India's rising star, Abhishek Sharma, has achieved a career-high ranking in T20Is, making a meteoric leap of 38 places to claim the No. 2 spot in the ICC T20I batting rankings. The explosive southpaw’s sensational performances with the bat have propelled him ahead of some of the biggest names in the format. In a fascinating shift, he overtook his fellow teammate Tilak Varma, who dropped one spot to No. 3, as India’s young guns continue to dominate the rankings. With their fearless and dynamic approach, the duo is shaping the future of Indian T20 cricket on the global stage.

Abhishek Sharma lit up the series with a stunning display of power-hitting, scoring 279 runs in 5 matches at an average of 55.80 and a blistering strike rate of 219.68. His standout moment came with a record-breaking 135, the highest T20I score by an Indian, as he smashed 24 fours and 22 sixes. With 1 century and 1 fifty, Abhishek’s fearless batting tore apart England’s attack, making him the star of the series.

In-depth Analysis of Abhishek Sharma's Outstanding T20I Series

Abhishek Sharma etched his name in the history books with a breathtaking knock, registering India’s highest individual score in T20 internationals. His 135 off 54 balls surpassed Shubman Gill’s previous record of 126 against New Zealand in 2023, setting a new benchmark for Indian batters in the format. His innings was not just a national milestone but also a global spectacle. It became the sixth-highest individual score in T20Is involving Test-playing nations, placing him among an elite list of power-hitters who have dominated international bowling attacks.

Abhishek’s fifty came off just 17 balls, making it the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20Is, only behind Yuvraj Singh’s iconic 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup. His century followed in just 37 deliveries, making it the third-fastest in T20Is between Test-playing nations, trailing only Rohit Sharma and David Miller, who hold the joint record with 35-ball hundreds. Adding to his sensational display, Abhishek launched 13 sixes into the stands—the most ever hit by an Indian batter in a T20I innings. His fearless strokeplay and record-breaking performance cemented his place as one of India’s most exciting young talents, leaving fans and statisticians in awe of his explosive batting prowess.

Abhishek Sharma’s explosive batting in the series saw him smash 22 sixes in total, showcasing his incredible range and fearless strokeplay. While he cleared the ropes all around the ground, his favorite scoring zone was the covers region, where he deposited the majority of his maximums. Here’s a breakdown of his six-hitting areas: Covers region – Most of his sixes came from this area, highlighting his dominance through the off-side. Long-on – 4 sixes, proving his ability to target spinners and pacers with strong straight hitting. Long-off – 3 sixes, demonstrating balance and timing against both pace and spin.

Straight down the ground – 3 sixes, reinforcing his power in hitting over the bowler’s head. Fine leg – 2 sixes, capitalizing on short deliveries and well-timed flicks. Midwicket – 1 six, showing his adaptability in playing across the line. Third man – 1 six, an unconventional yet effective shot. Point – 1 six, showcasing his ability to carve the ball over the infield. His six-hitting spree not only powered India to key victories but also established him as one of the most dangerous batters in T20 cricket today.

Abhishek Sharma’s six-hitting ability in this series was nothing short of extraordinary, underlining his potential as a future T20 superstar. His ability to find the boundary in all areas of the ground made him a nightmare for bowlers, as he effortlessly combined power with precision. The sheer number of sixes at covers reflects his dominant off-side play, while his shots down the ground and towards fine leg highlight his all-round stroke-making prowess.

His confidence in taking on spinners and pacers alike, along with his ability to execute aggressive strokes without compromising technique, sets him apart from his contemporaries. With this record-breaking performance, Abhishek has not only announced himself on the global stage but has also given India a dependable and fearless hitter at the top. If he continues in this vein, he could redefine aggressive T20 batting for India in the years to come.