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ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council awarded Pakistan the hosting rights for the ICC Women&#39;s T20 World Cup 2028 qualification pathway on Monday, with matches involving India to be played at neutral venues. The ICC Board met on Sunday and approved a range of measures covering women&#39;s cricket scheduling, tournament formats, playing conditions and governance. Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, its first global ICC event in 29 years. The country previously held the ACC Asia Cup in full in 2008 and co-hosted the 2023 edition with Sri Lanka. The 2028 Women&#39;s T20 World Cup will have 12 teams. Ten spots are automatic: the top eight from the 2026 edition, the host nation if not already among them, and the next highest-ranked side on the ICC Women&#39;s T20I rankings as of July 6, 2026. The remaining two places will go through a 10-team Global Qualifier supported by regional rounds, with allocations to be confirmed at the ICC&#39;s July meetings. The board rescheduled the ICC Women&#39;s Champions Trophy 2027 to February 14&ndash;28, moving it from the June-July window. It also approved the ICC Women&#39;s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 as a 10-team competition (five Full Members and five Associate Members) with qualification based on rankings and prior world cup results. On the men&#39;s side, the ICC Board approved in principle a Global Qualifier pathway for future Men&#39;s T20 World Cups and directed management to finalize a 16-team structure. Teams in the Challenge League retained eligibility for other List A matches within each cycle. The board approved a pink ball trial for Test matches, subject to consent from both teams, to allow play to continue in poor light. It also updated playing conditions to allow coaches or their designees to consult players at drinks intervals, mandated 15-minute intervals in T20 internationals, and required batters to be ready at the resumption of play. The legside wides trial was made permanent. All remaining MCC Laws changes take effect on October 1, 2026. The Board suspended Cricket Canada from ICC membership with immediate effect for breaching its membership obligations. Canadian national teams will remain eligible for ICC events during the suspension period.

A screenshot shows team captains posing during Captains’ Day for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. (ICC)

Cricket

Two spots in the 12-team field are determined through a 10-team Global Qualifier, with additional qualification places allocated through regional pathways.

Pakistan to host ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028

Syed Maisam Ali

ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan and South Africa continue their multi-format series, the spotlight now moves to Faisalabad, marking the city&rsquo;s first international cricket match in 17 years. Excitement is high as fans pack the Iqbal Stadium to witness the ODI leg of the tour.&nbsp;&ldquo;After 17 long years, international cricket finally returns to Faisalabad,&rdquo; Pakistan Cricket Board Chairperson Mohsin Naqvi said in a post on X. &ldquo;Delighted to see the excitement as Pakistan and South Africa begin the ODI series here in Pakistan&rsquo;s own &lsquo;Manchester&rsquo;.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1985647598078980446&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8b347d42e83f712d4833b1b879296a1bdde10ec5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 418px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The ongoing tour, covering Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi, arrives at a symbolic moment: ten years since Pakistan successfully restored international cricket at home. Today&rsquo;s packed stadiums stand in stark contrast to the difficult period when cricket in Pakistan was forced into exile, and reflect a revival now recognized around the world.&nbsp;2009: Years of silence&nbsp;The journey back began amid adversity. In March 2009, an attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore forced international cricket out of Pakistan indefinitely. Stadiums fell silent. Home series were relocated to the UAE. Generations of fans grew up watching their national team play &ldquo;home&rdquo; matches abroad, waiting for a day when the familiar roar of a Pakistani crowd would return.&nbsp;2015: Zimbabwe breaks the deadlockThat day finally came in May 2015, when Zimbabwe agreed to tour Pakistan, the first international side to do so in six years. Sixteen players and officials were welcomed at Lahore&rsquo;s airport to scenes of emotion and relief.The series, two T20Is and three ODIs, was played before sold-out stands at Gaddafi Stadium, a moment many still refer to as &ldquo;the rebirth.&rdquo;&nbsp;Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore described the occasion as deeply meaningful, recalling how the packed stadium sang Pakistan&rsquo;s national anthem in unison and how players and fans alike expressed gratitude for the team&rsquo;s courage to tour.&nbsp;Gradual return to normalcyZimbabwe&rsquo;s visit paved the way for others. Over the following years, Pakistan hosted Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa, Bangladesh,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pcb-confirms-dates-for-australias-threematch-t20i-series-in-lahore" style="color:#0073e6;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Australia</a>, and England in bilateral tours. Each successful series strengthened global confidence, supported by upgraded stadiums, advanced security protocols, and comprehensive logistical planning.&nbsp;Pakistan Super League: The turning pointThe launch of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-launches-bidding-process-for-two-new-psl-franchises" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan Super League</a> (PSL) in 2016 accelerated cricket&rsquo;s return. Originally played in the UAE, the league gradually shifted home. Soon, foreign stars were playing in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Multan, in front of passionate crowds.&nbsp;The PSL demonstrated Pakistan&rsquo;s ability to host major events consistently and safely. More importantly, it restored the joy and energy of live cricket in Pakistani stadiums.&nbsp;2023 Asia Cup: Regional stage returnsA major breakthrough came in 2023, when Pakistan co-hosted the Asia Cup. Matches in Lahore and Multan drew overwhelming attendance and praise from the Asian Cricket Council. The successful tournament further strengthened the nation&rsquo;s case as a dependable host.&nbsp;Champions Trophy 2025: Revival fully realizedThis resurgence culminated earlier this year when Pakistan hosted the ICC Champions Trophy, its first major global event in nearly three decades. Matches in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi delivered world-class organization, enthusiastic crowds, and a festive nationwide atmosphere. International players spoke highly of Pakistan&rsquo;s hospitality, culture, and cricketing passion.&nbsp;The Champions Trophy confirmed one thing: Pakistan was not just ready for cricket, cricket was home again.&nbsp;Decade of pride and CelebrationFrom empty stands to overflowing stadiums, Pakistan&rsquo;s recovery stands as one of world cricket&rsquo;s most compelling revival stories. Today, as packed crowds cheer Pakistan against South Africa, the applause carries ten years of resilience, belief, and national unity.&nbsp;Sports data analyst and journalist Azeem Siddique, speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, emphasized that the return of international cricket extends beyond sport.&nbsp;&ldquo;The revival of cricket in Pakistan is a major milestone, not just for cricket but for the entire country,&rdquo; Siddique said. &ldquo;Whenever international teams visit, industries like hotels, transportation, and food services all experience growth. It has a real economic impact.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that while Pakistan is now a proven safe destination, perceptions built after 2009 still need time to change.&nbsp;&ldquo;Security arrangements today are comprehensive and players feel protected,&rdquo; Siddique noted. &ldquo;But the restrictions placed during tours can limit their freedom. As the environment continues to improve, that comfort and confidence will keep growing.&rdquo;&nbsp;A decade ago, Pakistan waited for cricket to return. Today, cricket does not simply return, it thrives. The journey has come full circle, and the cheers across Faisalabad speak for millions: cricket is home.

After the 2009 attack halted cricket in Pakistan, the 2015 Zimbabwe tour marked its revival. Gradual returns by Sri Lanka, West Indies, and others, alongside PSL’s success, restored global confidence and reignited Pakistan’s cricketing spirit.


Articles tagged with "CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025"

Pakistan to host ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028

Decade of homecoming: Pakistan’s remarkable journey back to international cricket

Pakistan to host ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2028