KARACHI:
It looks like Pakistan are set to be involved in another tri-series next year with Australia and potentially Bangladesh, scheduled for February 2026.
The series is likely to be played ahead of the T20 World Cup, a source within the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed.
Cricket Australia has a longstanding tradition of touring the subcontinent ahead of major ICC events to acclimatise properly. In 2021, Australia toured Bangladesh for a five-match T20I series and, similarly, played a Test and ODI series in Sri Lanka to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
With India and Sri Lanka scheduled to host the mega event in February–March, Australia are set to play three T20Is against Pakistan. However, discussions are underway to convert the bilateral series into a tri-nation competition.
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A BCB official confirmed that, at this stage, no formal proposal has been tabled by the Pakistan Cricket Board, but informal conversations have taken place on the sidelines of the ongoing Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Dhaka.
According to local media, the PCB is eager to include Bangladesh in the series following improved bilateral relations between the two boards.
It is expected that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will formally discuss the tri-nation proposal with BCB counterpart Aminul Islam Bulbul on the sidelines of the ACC meeting. Naqvi, who is also the ACC President, is currently in Dhaka for the ACC Annual General Meeting scheduled for July 24–25.
If finalised, the series would feature seven matches, with each team playing the other two sides twice, followed by a final between the top two.
Meanwhile, a similar initiative is in motion involving Pakistan’s scheduled T20I series against Afghanistan. On July 5, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) Chairman Mirwais Ashraf confirmed that talks are underway to transform the series into a tri-nation tournament, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the third team and host.
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The ACB chief further stated that the proposed tri-nation series will serve as a vital opportunity for their men’s cricket team to prepare for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup, scheduled for later this year.
