Pakistan cricket caught between transition and promise in 2025

The year 2025 was an unusual and difficult one to assess for the Pakistan men’s cricket team.

There were no trophies added to the cabinet, no Test series victories to celebrate, and while the T20I results showed a healthy number of bilateral wins on paper, the quality of opposition often left room for debate.

In ODI cricket, Pakistan looked directionless in the first half of the year before finding some stability later on, making it impossible to categorically describe the year as either a success or a failure.

While the senior side struggled to establish consistency, the country’s young cricketers stepped forward with authority, winning tournaments, showing composure in pressure moments, and offering a glimpse of a future that appears far more secure than the present.

Test: Promising moments, familiar outcomes

Pakistan’s year began on a disappointing note in South Africa, where they suffered a second Test defeat that became memorable for reasons beyond the result.

Ryan Rickelton’s marathon 259 dominated the match, while Saim Ayub’s injury during the first innings not only hurt Pakistan in the moment but also disrupted their plans for much of the year that followed.

The loss completed a 2-0 whitewash in the two-match series and once again highlighted Pakistan’s struggles away from home in Test cricket.

Back in familiar conditions, Pakistan hosted West Indies for a two-match Test series on spin-friendly surfaces, a trend they had fully embraced since late 2024.

Sajid Khan was the standout performer in the opening Test, claiming nine wickets as Pakistan secured a 127-run victory, though West Indies found encouragement through left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, who finished with a 10-wicket haul.

The second Test, however, swung decisively in the visitors’ favour. Warrican once again emerged as the defining figure, taking nine wickets and contributing a crucial unbeaten 36 with the bat as West Indies defeated Pakistan by 120 runs to level the series, ensuring Pakistan ended the year without a single Test series win.

ODI Tri-Series: Brief optimism before reality sets in

In early February, Pakistan hosted South Africa and New Zealand in an ODI tri-series as part of their preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

A defeat against New Zealand was followed by one of Pakistan’s most memorable run chases in recent years, as they hunted down a daunting target of 353 against South Africa.

Captain Mohammad Rizwan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 122, while Salman Ali Agha produced a superb 130, the pair adding 260 runs for the fourth wicket in a record-breaking partnership that briefly reignited belief around the team.

That momentum, however, failed to carry into the final, where Pakistan were comfortably beaten by New Zealand after being unable to defend a modest total of 242.

Disastrous Champions Trophy

The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the ICC-approved hybrid model, was meant to be a statement event.

Instead, it became one of Pakistan’s most painful tournaments in recent memory. Entering as defending champions, Pakistan’s campaign quickly spiralled off course.

In the opening match, centuries from Tom Latham and Will Young powered New Zealand to a commanding 60-run victory.

The much-anticipated clash against India followed, but Pakistan’s batting collapsed under pressure as they were dismissed for 241, a total India chased down comfortably with Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten century.

With two defeats already on the board, Pakistan’s fate was effectively sealed before their final group match.

Their match against Bangladesh was washed out without a ball being bowled in Rawalpindi, resulting in Pakistan crashing out in the group stage with a net run rate worse than Bangladesh’s.

India eventually went on to lift the trophy, while Pakistan were left to reflect on a home campaign that ended far earlier than expected.

Reset in leadership, struggles on tour

The Champions Trophy exit prompted significant changes within the Pakistan setup, as Mohammad Rizwan was removed as T20I captain and replaced by Salman Ali Agha, with Shadab Khan appointed vice-captain as part of a broader rebuild aimed at the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Notably, no immediate changes were made to the ODI leadership despite the tournament being played in that format.

Pakistan’s subsequent tour of New Zealand did little to improve matters. The visitors lost the T20I series 4-1 and were comprehensively whitewashed 3-0 in the ODI series.

The lone bright moment arrived in the third T20I, where young batter Hasan Nawaz announced himself with a scintillating unbeaten 105 off 45 balls, during Pakistan’s only win of the tour.

PSL 10: Lahore Qalandars defy odds

The tenth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) delivered the spectacle expected from a landmark season, particularly with expansion set to follow in future editions. Few stories captured the imagination more than Lahore Qalandars’ remarkable turnaround.

After scraping into the playoffs as the fourth-placed side with a victory over Peshawar Zalmi in a virtual knockout, they defeated arch-rivals Karachi Kings in the Eliminator, and then overcame defending champions Islamabad United in the Qualifier

In the final, they chased down a challenging target of 202 against Quetta Gladiators with six wickets to spare, lifting their third PSL title under the leadership of Shaheen Shah Afridi and joining Islamabad United as the league’s most successful franchises.

New coach, mixed white-ball returns

Following the PSL, the PCB appointed New Zealand’s Mike Hesson as white-ball head coach, a move aimed at modernising Pakistan cricket team’s limited-overs approach.

Hesson’s tenure began with a dominant 3-0 T20I whitewash of Bangladesh at home, but Pakistan were unable to replicate that success on the return tour, losing the series 2-1 in July.

The tour of the West Indies further highlighted the team’s inconsistency, as Pakistan won the T20I series 2-1 but lost the ODI series by the same margin, a result that ultimately marked the end of Rizwan’s tenure as white-ball captain.

Asia Cup and a familiar rivalry

Pakistan then travelled to the UAE for a T20I tri-series against Afghanistan and the hosts as part of their Asia Cup preparations, claiming the trophy after defeating Afghanistan in a low-scoring final. The Asia Cup itself, however, told a familiar story.

After opening with a win over Oman, Pakistan suffered defeats to India in the group stage and again in the Super Four, though victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh ensured a place in the final.

There, India once again proved too strong, completing a clean sweep over Pakistan across the tournament.

Late-year stability in white-ball cricket

Pakistan began their WTC 2025-27 campaign with a home Test win over South Africa, though the visitors bounced back to draw the series.

During the second Test, the PCB confirmed Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan’s new ODI captain, a change that brought immediate results.

Under Shaheen’s leadership, Pakistan defeated South Africa 2-1 in the ODI series and later whitewashed Sri Lanka 3-0 to secure back-to-back series wins.

The year concluded on a positive note with Pakistan winning a low-scoring T20I tri-series final against Sri Lanka, also featuring Zimbabwe.

Pakistan’s youth steal the spotlight

While the senior team searched for stability, Pakistan’s juniors delivered silverware and optimism.

Under Abbas Afridi, Pakistan won the Hong Kong Super Sixes, losing only one rain-affected group match before dominating Kuwait in the final.

In the inaugural ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, Pakistan cricket team went unbeaten, including a group-stage win over India.

The final against Bangladesh ended in a tie and was decided by a Super Over, which Pakistan won to lift the trophy.

The year’s crowning moment came at the U19 Asia Cup, where Pakistan clinched their maiden title.

In a high-scoring final against India, the young Green Shirts produced a performance reminiscent of the 2017 Champions Trophy, setting a huge total and bowling India out cheaply to seal a historic triumph.