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International cricket returns to Faisalabad with Pakistan-SA ODIs
Gulf Today
|November 04, 2025
International cricket returns to Faisalabad for the first time in 17 years on Tuesday when newly installed ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi leads Pakistan in the three-match series against an under-strength South Africa.
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Iqbal Stadium last hosted an ODI against Bangladesh in 2008, before the terrorist attack on Sri Lanka’s team bus the following year forced Pakistan to organise its home matches at neutral venues in the UAE for six years.
Since international cricket gradually returned to Pakistan in 2015, major cities like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan have all hosted foreign teams. But Faisalabad wasn't able to stage international games due to lack of facilities, which have improved over the last couple of years.
"It is exciting to see international cricket returns to Faisalabad after 17 years," Afridi told reporters on Monday. "We are looking forward to performing well against South Africa. The team played good cricket in the T20 series and we aim to carry that momentum into the ODIs.”
Pakistan drew the Test series 1-1 against South Africa, but defeated the Proteas 2-1 in the T20 series after winning back-to-back matches at Lahore.
This story is from the November 04, 2025 edition of Gulf Today.
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