Pak to play three T20Is against BD

Pakistan men's team will travel to Bangladesh next month to take part in a three-match bilateral T20I series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed today.

Pakistan will arrive in Dhaka on 16 July before taking on the home side in the first T20I on Sunday, 20 July. The second T20I will take place on Tuesday, 22 July, with the third and final match of the series scheduled for Thursday, 24 July.

All three T20Is will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, with the first ball of each match scheduled to be bowled at 6pm local time.

The two sides last met in a three-match T20I series at the Gaddafi Stadium recently, where the home side completed a clean sweep over the visitors.

Series schedule:

16 July – Pakistan men's team arrival

20 July – First T20I

22 July – Second T20I

24 July – Third T20I

Pak A tour of Aus

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Australia (CA) are mulling over to organise series between their A teams, U19, and women's teams, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to reports, the CA renewed confidence in Pakistan has significantly improved the chances of launching future pathway series, as both sides discuss to gather momentum.

PCB's high-performance centre has identified Australia among its key targets for bilateral cooperation aimed at the development of cricket.

Talks are currently underway regarding A team, U19 and women's team tours between the two nations.

The improved relationship between the PCB and Cricket Australia has already yielded positive results. A notable example is the increased participation of Pakistani players in the Big Bash League (BBL) this season.

In contrast to previous years—when players often faced delays in receiving No Objection Certificates (NOCs)—this year, NOCs were issued before the draft, allowing players to participate without last-minute hurdles.

In addition to team tours, the PCB is also interested in launching academy exchange programs to further develop young talent.

PCB's Director of High Performance, Aqib Javed exploring opportunities for player exposure not just in Australia and England, but also in other cricketing nations.

He believed that strong international ties are essential to send more Pakistani players abroad for experience and growth.

With mutual trust being rebuilt, more Australian players are expected to be available for future editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Further strengthening ties, Cricket Australia's CEO recently confirmed Australia's tour of Pakistan next year, reinforcing the commitment to bilateral cricketing relations.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan cricket will resume action after a brief break with a tour of Bangladesh at the end of July, where they are scheduled to play a T20I series - although the schedule has not yet been officially released.

Following the Bangladesh tour, the Green Shirts will head to the West Indies, where a limited-overs series comprising three T20Is and three ODIs will begin from August one.

Saud slips in rankings

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday unveiled the latest Test player rankings, with England's Joe Root holding firm at the top of the batting chart.

Root's consistent performances have solidified his Number one position among the world's elite Test batters.

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel, however, experienced a minor setback, slipping two spots to 10th place.

He remained the only Pakistani batter within the top 10 but now stands at risk of falling out of the elite group. Meanwhile, fellow Pakistani Mohammad Rizwan retained his 16th position.

In other notable movements, England's Harry Brook climbed to the second spot, continuing his impressive rise in international cricket.

India's young batter Yashasvi Jaiswal moved up to fourth, further cementing his place among the top Test batters.

Rishabh Pant's remarkable double-century performance during the Headingley Test against England propelled him up one spot to seventh.

England's Ben Duckett also made a significant gain, jumping five places to eighth following his valuable contribution to England's recent Test win.

In the bowling department, Pakistan's left-arm spinner Nauman Ali retained his fourth-place ranking, remaining the country's lone representative in the top 10.