Pakistan And West Indies Cricket Boards Lock Horns Over Format Change In Upcoming Series | Cricket News
WI vs PAK: Disagreements between cricket boards have become increasingly common, and the latest dispute has emerged between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI). The issue revolves around the format of the upcoming white-ball series between the two nations, scheduled to be played in the United States and the Caribbean from August 1 to 12.
CWI Keen on ODIs to Rebuild After World Cup Disaster
Cricket West Indies is pushing for a full-fledged white-ball series, including three ODIs and three T20Is, as originally planned. The board is keen on giving its players more exposure to the longer white-ball format in a bid to rebuild its ODI team. This comes in the wake of a historic low in West Indies cricket the team failed to qualify for the main tournament of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, for the first time ever.
PCB Wants to Skip ODIs, Focus Only on T20s
Contrary to CWI’s plans, the PCB reportedly wants to convert the ODI leg of the series into T20 matches. The Pakistan board is said to be focusing exclusively on T20 cricket as it prepares for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup and the 2025 Asia Cup. Cricbuzz reported that PCB is pushing for changes to the Caribbean leg of the tour and is not interested in playing ODIs during this series.
CWI CEO Chris Dehring has responded by saying, “The schedule remains as it is, and we continue to engage with the PCB on the matter.” He confirmed that discussions will resume during the ICC Annual Conference in Singapore.
Pakistan Tour of Bangladesh Set for July
Before the series against West Indies, Pakistan is set to travel to Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series from July 20 to 24, with all games to be held in Mirpur. This tour is part of Pakistan’s build-up to the T20 World Cup 2026.
The touring squad will miss several senior players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammed Rizwan, who have either been rested or ruled out. Key players like Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf are also absent due to injuries, giving opportunities to emerging talents.
West Indies Set to Host Australia in Five T20Is
Meanwhile, the West Indies are preparing for another white-ball challenge as they host Australia in a five-match T20I series, set to be played from July 21 to 29. This follows a disappointing 0-3 whitewash in the Test series against the Aussies.
The T20I series will hold added significance for the Caribbean side as they prepare for the next T20 World Cup. It will also mark the farewell of Andre Russell, the explosive all-rounder who is set to retire from international cricket after the first two T20Is in Jamaica.
