Cricket fans in South Africa rejoice! Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced a jam-packed 2024-25 summer season featuring tours from Sri Lanka and Pakistan (men’s) and England (women’s). A total of 17 international fixtures, including five Tests, will be played between November and January.
Test Series Highlight the Season
The marquee attractions of the season will undoubtedly be the Test series. These matches will be part of the ongoing World Test Championship, adding an extra layer of significance for both the Proteas and their touring counterparts. Sri Lanka will face South Africa in a two-Test red-ball series held in Durban and Gqeberha.Â
Pakistan will follow suit with another two-Test series, battling it out at Centurion and Cape Town. Interestingly, Johannesburg’s iconic Wanderers Stadium will be absent from the Test calendar for the second summer in a row, with reasons for this decision not being disclosed by officials.
Bloemfontein Set to Stage Historic Women’s Test
The schedule also boasts a significant development for South African women’s cricket. A historic women’s Test match will be played in Bloemfontein, marking the first such fixture on home soil in 22 years. England will be the visitors for this momentous occasion. The last women’s Test played in South Africa was against India in Paarl back in 2002.
Beyond the Tests, the schedule offers a variety of white-ball cricket. The Sri Lanka series will feature three ODIs played at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban and St George’s Park in Gqeberha. These venues hold special significance, as they were the battlegrounds where Sri Lanka secured their historic first Test series win against South Africa in 2019.
Pakistan Tour Includes Festive Season Tests and Potential Tri-Series
Following the Sri Lanka series, Pakistan will embark on a full tour. Their itinerary includes three T20Is and three ODIs leading up to the festive season Tests. The Boxing Day Test will be held at SuperSport Park in Centurion, while Newlands in Cape Town will host the New Year’s Test, concluding on January 7th.
This busy domestic schedule will be followed by a potential clash of commitments for the Proteas men’s team. The SA20 domestic T20 league is expected to begin shortly after the New Year’s Test, potentially overlapping with an ODI tri-series in Pakistan scheduled as a lead-up to the Champions Trophy in mid-February.
England Women’s Tour: A Mix of Formats and Awareness Initiatives
The England women’s tour will provide a well-rounded white-ball experience. The schedule includes three T20Is, three ODIs featuring the Black Day ODI dedicated to raising awareness about gender-based violence, and the aforementioned historic Test match. One T20I will be played at the premier venue of Centurion, while an ODI will be held at Durban’s Kingsmead Stadium.
With a diverse schedule encompassing Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and a groundbreaking women’s Test, the 2024-25 South African summer promises to be a thrilling season for cricket fans across the nation.
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