Key Points
- The tour marks the beginning of Pakistan’s ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 journey
- Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will host the first Test after recent renovations for the Champions Trophy
- All three ODIs will be played at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, which last hosted an ODI in 2008
- The T20I series will be split between Rawalpindi and Lahore from 28 October to 1 November
ISLAMABAD: South Africa will tour Pakistan in October and November 2025 for a multi-format cricket series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed. The series will also mark the start of Pakistan’s campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27.
The Proteas will land on Pakistani soil for a five-week challenge, encompassing two Test matches, three T20Is, and three ODIs. And perhaps the most emotional return will be felt in the city of Faisalabad, where international cricket has long been a distant memory.
Iqbal Stadium roars back to life
Seventeen years ago, Faisalabad last hosted a One-Day International, a seven-wicket victory against Bangladesh, which is now fading into memory. But from 4 to 8 November 2025, the Iqbal Stadium will roar back into the spotlight, hosting all three ODIs against South Africa in what promises to be a carnival of cricket for central Punjab.
PCB’s Chief Operating Officer, Sumair Ahmed Syed, celebrated the moment:
“The return of ODI cricket to Faisalabad after 17 years is a special moment. Iqbal Stadium holds a proud place in our cricketing history, and we are excited to bring international cricket back to this part of the country.”
Lahore and Rawalpindi to light up the red-ball rivalry
The tour kicks off on 12 October at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, not only the opening chapter of Pakistan’s WTC campaign but also the first Test match at the venue since its sweeping renovation in preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The five-day battle against the reigning ICC World Test Champions will serve as a litmus test for the home side’s readiness for the new cycle.
The second Test will move to Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 20 to 24 October, marking South Africa’s return to the venue where they last played red-ball cricket in January 2021, a series they lost 2-0.
T20 fireworks across two venues
After the tension of the whites, the coloured kits will take centre stage with a three-match T20I series from 28 October to 1 November. The series begins in Rawalpindi, before moving back to Lahore for the final two clashes under the lights of the Gaddafi Stadium.
Full Schedule – South Africa Tour of Pakistan 2025
Tests (WTC 2025–27):
12–16 October: 1st Test – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
20–24 October: 2nd Test – Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium
T20 Internationals:
28 October: 1st T20I – Rawalpindi
31 October: 2nd T20I – Lahore
1 November: 3rd T20I – Lahore
ODIs:
4 November: 1st ODI – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
6 November: 2nd ODI – Faisalabad
8 November: 3rd ODI – Faisalabad
