The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have decided to swap the One Day International (ODI) matches with Twenty20 International (T20I) games in the upcoming bilateral series between the two nations. This is done as part of preparations for both teams for the Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

The initial series, the tour of Pakistan by Bangladesh in May 2025, had three ODIs in it originally but has now been changed to a series of five T20I matches by the boards. This will provide both the teams with great experience in the T20 format as they prepare for upcoming international tournaments.

The second series, the Pakistan tour of Bangladesh in July 2025, was also to be made up of three ODIs. But it will now include three T20I matches instead. This is done to provide the teams with more emphasis on T20 cricket, as both are gearing up for the challenges in the upcoming big T20 tournaments.

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This shift from ODIs to T20Is is happening when T20 cricket is rapidly gaining popularity throughout the world with the majority of the world's major cricket nations placing greater significance on this version due to its fast and short nature. It is being considered a major part of the run-up to the upcoming international tournaments like the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.

This change places particular importance on the increasing importance of T20I cricket within today's game and offers Bangladesh and Pakistan a chance to iron out their plans and improve their T20I side in preparation for the much-awaited Asia Cup 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026.

A PCB spokesperson pointed out in a forceful statement the financial impact India might endure should the BCCI opt not to go to Pakistan.

"India will suffer more financial loss than Pakistan if they choose not to participate in the Champions Trophy,” the spokesperson said. “The BCCI’s decision will not only impact their revenue from the tournament but also their global sponsorship deals and broadcasting rights, which heavily rely on India-Pakistan matches.”

This remark emphasizes the huge stakes since games between India and Pakistan produce unprecedented viewer numbers and huge sponsorship agreements. The PCB is of opinion that a boycott or request for a neutral venue might lower the usual financial advantage India has in ICC events.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012, limiting their ICC event meetings, owing to political concerns. Slated to be held by Pakistan, the Champions Trophy 2025 has turned a fresh source of debate.

"India Will Suffer More Financial Loss...": PCB's Warning After CT 2025 https://t.co/Rjsp1YbfW6

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) March 22, 2025

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What comes next?

• The ICC should negotiate a solution between BCCI and PCB and settle communications.
• An alternative middle ground could possibly be considered if India does not pick to compete in Pakistan.
• Any choice will have financial consequences depending on ICC rules, sponsorship agreements, and broadcasting rights.

The ICC might intercede between the two boards, but other sites could be under consideration if India rejects to compete in Pakistan. Still, PCB is determined to have the competition at home, which would constitute one of Pakistan's most significant occasions since the World Cup of 1996.

The cricket world is eagerly waiting BCCI's ultimate verdict, which could define the direction of the Champions Trophy 2025 and IndianPakistani cricket relations given increased tensions.

A famous Pakistani cricketer has come under criticism for failing to pay for three cricket bats he bought at a New Jersey shop during the recently concluded T20 World Cup last year. The identity of the player is unclear. However, it is likely to be a well-known Pakistan batter. Babar Azam, Rizwan, Saim Ayub, and Fakhr Zaman were all on that Pakistan squad, and Waheed could be talking about them.

This claim surfaced after Waheed Khan, an experienced sports journalist, discussed the incident as the store owner is still awaiting payment. Although the store owner has made numerous attempts to reach the player who visited the store, there was no response.

The cricketer came to the shop before a crucial T20 World Cup game, chose three expensive bats to be purchased, and indicated they would return in the future to settle the payment. This related to the fact that it has now been months without a payment. ''I trusted him because of his name, but after a few days he is not answering my calls," the store owner said. “And I'm not susceptible to answering the door or trying another time that I couldn’t reach him.” 

This revelation has sparked discussions among cricket fans and followers; some have criticized the player for his failure to acknowledge the nature of retribution. Others have thought it to be a miscommunication.

A popular Pakistan player brought three bats from a cricket store owner in New Jersey during last year’s World Cup. The poor chap delivered the bats himself to the player in New York. The owner is still waiting for his payments and the player is not responding to his calls. V Sad

— WaheedKhankisaafseedhibaat (@WaheedKhancc) March 21, 2025

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However, the Pakistan Cricket Board cricket board has not officially commented on this matter. If these revelations are accurate, it may question the morals and professionalism of all players in the international arena. We do not know yet whether the player will respond to the allegations, and we also do not know if the owner of the shop will escalate the matter legally. As this story develops, professional cricketers and journalists will no doubt be watching the developments very closely.

For now, the shop owner continues on, waiting for the cricketer to finally resolve the situation and bring an end to the controversy. 

During a recent game, Saud Shakeel executed an unbelievable no-look shot that took everyone by surprise his opponent, Naseem Shah included. The shot was so fine that even Naseem, who is quite competitive, could not resist giving a round of applause.

The moment soon went viral, with fans hailing Shakeel's technique and confidence. A no-look shot is a shot that needs incredible skill, timing, and faith in one's capability, and Shakeel pulled it off perfectly. Naseem's response made the moment even more endearing, reflecting the real sportsman spirit.

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Saud Shakeel played a remarkable No look shot that even impressed his Opponent Naseem Shah, who was seen clapping for him#NationalT20 #PakistanCricket pic.twitter.com/4nat0GNOuZ

— Au Rangzab Younis (@SardarAurangzab) March 18, 2025

Cricket enthusiasts adore such moments of magic, and this one will be etched in memory as an exhibition of talent and respect between two of the best players.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) lost a huge sum of money after the ICC Champions Trophy, which was the first ICC tournament in Pakistan in 29 years. The PCB lost a record Rs 869 crore in preparations for the tournament, including stadium refurbishment, security, etc. But the board earned only Rs 52 crore from hosting and ticketing fees. This led to a huge loss of Rs 739 crore, and the PCB's future to host big events was doubted. The poor financial performance has placed the PCB in a defensive position, and it is now reconsidering hosting future tournaments. The loss also questioned the long-term sustainability of hosting such tournaments in Pakistan.

Disappointing Return Despite Success of the Event:

While the Champions Trophy as a sporting event was a success, with the Pakistani team performing well and the crowd attending in good mood, the return in the form of finance was much less than expected. The PCB also expected to gain a profit by staging the tournament, but ticket and sponsorship sales were not sufficient to counter the astronomical expense. The loss signals the risks involved in hosting international events. The PCB will now have to investigate future events and how to organize them so that they raise sufficient money to avoid future financial losses. The board can also seek means of securing better sponsors and high turnout at future tournaments so as to reduce financial risks. In the future, the PCB can seek alternative revenue sources so that they can be profitable in the future.

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High Risks in Hosting Big Events:

This loss illustrates the danger in hosting large international events. Despite the fact that the PCB incurred a lot in preparing for the Champions Trophy, the revenue generated was not sufficient to offset the expenses. The board will have to plan thoroughly for future events to ensure that they are economically viable.

HBL (Habib Bank Limited) will be the title sponsor of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) up to the last match of the 10th edition, PSL X. HBL's sponsorship deal still stands for the current season, so they will continue to be the title sponsor according to the current contract.

There have been recent rumors that Red Bull signed a five-year agreement with the PSL, but it cannot be confirmed. Although Red Bull can join as a category sponsor, the title sponsorship rights for PSL X remain with HBL.

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Ahead of PSL 11, there will be a new cycle of sponsorship rights, and any business firm, including Red Bull, can participate in the bidding to own the title sponsorship for the season.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also made no declarations about the changes to the title sponsorship. The title sponsor ever since PSL commenced in 2016 has been HBL, and the consistent association between the two entities has been fundamental in the increase in popularity as well as growth of the league.

Even though Red Bull might become a category sponsor one day, nothing has changed as of now from the position HBL holds being the title sponsor.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has drastically cut player match fees for the next National T20 Cup. Players will get just PKR 10,000 per match, a drastic 75% slash from the last edition, when they were being paid PKR 40,000 per match.

This decision has also generated concerns among local players since most depend on match fees as their primary source of income. The National T20 Cup is among Pakistan's leading domestic competitions, with the country's best local players participating in it. Nevertheless, with this kind of sharp pay reduction, players may not be able to remain motivated and committed.

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The PCB has yet to offer an in-depth explanation for this decline, but it is likely to affect the morale of local cricketers. Most feel that investing in domestic talent is vital for the future of Pakistan cricket, and these financial cuts are likely to demotivate youngsters from taking up the sport as a career.

Fans and cricket pundits are now waiting to know whether the PCB will change its stance or offer alternate financial assistance to the players.

Former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie has dismissed Sunil Gavaskar’s words that an Indian B team could compete with and possibly defeat the current Pakistan team. Gavaskar made this remark after India’s win over Pakistan in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Group A match, raising concerns that the rivalry is becoming one-sided every time when they play against each other.

Gavaskar said, "I believe an India B team could definitely challenge Pakistan. I’m not too sure about a C team, but a B team would be very tough for Pakistan to beat in their current form."

Gillespie completely shot down the idea, calling it "absolute nonsense". He said Pakistan has enough talent to compete with any team if they get the right support. "I don't buy that talk," he added. "I saw Sunil Gavaskar's comments about an Indian B or C team beating Pakistan's top team, and that's just absurd."

He explained that Pakistan's main problem isn't a lack of talent but constant team changes and a lack of patience from the PCB management. "Pakistan needs to pick the right players and give them time to grow and improve. They have the skill to beat any team, no doubt about it. They just need to support their players and be patient," Jason Gillespie said.

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Jason Gillespie "I saw some comments from Sunil Gavaskar about the Indian B or C team would beat the Pakistan top team, that's nonsense" #CT25 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/qJQn6910st

— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) March 7, 2025

Pakistan’s tournament ended on a disappointing note as they finished last in Group A after losing to India and New Zealand. Their team selection has been heavily criticized, especially for choosing just one frontline spinner and not having strong openers in the Pakistan team. Gillespie, who resigned as Pakistan’s coach before their Test series against South Africa, blamed the management, particularly head coach Aaqib Javed and the selection committee, for the team’s poor performance.

"If the PCB wants better results, they need to put the right people in charge, pick the right players, and have a strong selection panel. They need to support them, be patient, and let them do their jobs". He also criticized the constant changes in coaching, saying it creates instability. "The same applies to coaches. If you hire someone, give them enough time to build something meaningful. Otherwise, the results will stay the same" Gillespie added.

Pakistan is hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but the country is facing massive criticism for poor preparation, which hasn't built any better or good image for the cricket-loving country. One of the poor scenes is recently going viral on the social media accounts, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been criticised massively.

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is the most important tournament for Pakistan

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is the first ICC tournament in Pakistan after the 1996 Cricket World Cup. For many years, the country couldn't bring the top international cricket tournaments, mainly due to security reasons. Although the PCB and the Pakistan government have tried to show their best practices to host the ICC tournament, the results aren't similar anyway.

Including the hosts and defending champions Pakistan, eight teams have participated in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, India, the only team of the eight participating teams, refused to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, and ultimately, their matches have been shifted to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. 

Even during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, many incidents raised massive security concerns in the country, including some news of terrorist attacks in the country and a threat for kidnapping of the foreigners who came to experience the ICC tournament. The PCB has also failed to impress with their hosting preparation. 

See Also: PCB Announces Full Ticket Refund for Abandoned Rawalpindi Matches

Roof leaking in Gaddafi Stadium

The PCB renovated all the stadiums in Pakistan, which are hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. These stadiums are National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While there were major concerns of renovation completion before the tournament, the PCB was always stubborn to stun the cricket world with their on-time finishes. However, the real pictures are really disappointing.

Recently, a social media video showed a major flaw inside the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While the PCB reportedly used 1800 crore to renovate all the stadiums and tried to produce some of the best cricket stadiums, Gaddafi Stadium has experienced a massive leaking roof in light rain during the Australia vs Afghanistan match. That Group B match was stopped in the early evening due to rain. It ended with a no result as the match wasn't possible to restart, and the chasing team Australia played 12.5 overs.

1280 Crore Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.
Ye stadium ke baare me Pakistani bol rahe the ki record 4 mahine me Asia ka best stadium bana diya.#ChmapionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/0Re2B2A03j

— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) March 2, 2025

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is one of the most important venues of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It will host the second Semi-final and can also host the Final only if India fail to advance to the Final. But the most important venue for Pakistan is going through a bad experience, and it is surely not good news for Pakistan cricket. Also, not to forget that the PCB's method to handle rain on the ground has completely unimpressed the cricket world, including showing a poor drainage system.

Cricket enthusiasts who were left disillusioned by the rain-washed matches in Rawalpindi can now heave a sigh of relief. The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a complete refund of the two ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches that were abandoned without any ball being bowled.
Which Matches Are Eligible
The refund is for the Australia vs South Africa match on February twenty-fifth and the Bangladesh vs Pakistan match on February twenty-seventh. Ticket holders for these matches can get their refund from March tenth to March 16 at authorized TCS branches in Pakistan.
Who Can Get a Refund
All general enclosure ticket holders qualify. Hospitality ticket holders, including those in VIP boxes, will not be refunded. The refund can only be claimed by the original ticket holder and not by someone else.

🚨 PCB has announced a full ticket refund for the two matches that were abandoned without a ball being bowled at Rawalpindi Stadium.

- Eligible ticket holders can claim their refund at selected TCS outlets between 10 Mar to 14 Mar. pic.twitter.com/eJYjBbxANS

— 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞 (@CallMeSheri1) March 1, 2025

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How to Claim Your Refund
If you possess a valid ticket, here is what to do. Go to any of the specified TCS shops in big cities such as Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. Produce your original, intact ticket to serve as evidence of purchase. Show the ticket to the TCS staff, and they will refund your money.
Where to Go for Refunds
Some of the main TCS centers dealing with refunds are Gulberg Express Center and Thokar Niaz Baig Express Center in Lahore, CAA Head Office Express Center and Ittehad Flagship Express Center in Karachi, and I Nine Express Center in Islamabad. Others are based in Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and Hyderabad.
To see the complete list of outlets, refer to the PCB website or get details from TCS branches.
Important Notes
Refunds will be made only between March tenth and March 16, and no claims after that will be accepted. The PCB refund policy is strictly for matches that were abandoned before the toss. Make sure your ticket is in good condition, as damaged or photocopied tickets will be refused.
A Small Consolation for Fans
Though fans were dismayed to miss live action because of inclement weather, the refund option is a step in the right direction. Cricket fans now get a chance to have their money back and hopefully watch future matches uninterrupted.
For further updates, follow the PCB's official social media channels and watch out for future Champions Trophy action.