The South African men’s cricket team will not participate in Test matches during the 2025/26 home season, while the women’s team will host Ireland and Pakistan. The men’s team will play T20 matches against the West Indies and prepare for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) revealed the 2025/26 international home season schedule, highlighting the absence of men’s Test matches. Instead, the focus will be on the women’s team, who are set to host Ireland and Pakistan for white-ball series featuring three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs). The matches against Ireland will occur from December 5-19, while Pakistan will visit from February 10 to March 1.
The series against Pakistan is significant as it initiates the first round of the International Women’s Championship (IWC) cycle, gearing towards the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, the men’s team is scheduled to play a five-match T20I series against the West Indies from January 27 to February 6, prior to contending in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki expressed excitement about the women’s upcoming matches, stating that these tours would provide strong competition, allowing fans to support the Proteas Women at various venues nationwide. He explained that the men’s international window will be shorter next season due to bilateral tours to Australia, England, Pakistan, and India from August to December, alongside the Betway SA20 tournament prior to the T20I series.
In addition to senior matches, the South Africa U19 Men will engage in a three-match Youth ODI series against Bangladesh from July 17-22 at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. Furthermore, South Africa ‘A’ is set to compete against New Zealand ‘A’ in three 50-over matches and two four-day encounters across various locations.
The development of national cricket is emphasized through plans for regular South Africa A tours along with the U19 tours, which are pivotal for nurturing talent within the national pipeline.
The schedule includes:
– South Africa vs West Indies (Men T20Is)
1st T20I: January 27, 2026, Boland Park
2nd T20I: January 29, 2026, Newlands Cricket Ground
3rd T20I: February 1, 2026, Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium
4th T20I: February 4, 2026, SuperSport Park
5th T20I: February 6, 2026, Wanderers Stadium
– South Africa vs Ireland (Women’s)
1st T20I: December 5, 2025, Newlands Cricket Ground
2nd T20I: December 7, 2025, Boland Park
3rd T20I: December 10, 2025, Willowmoore Park
1st ODI: December 13, 2025, Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium
2nd ODI: December 16, 2025, St George’s Park
3rd ODI: December 19, 2025, Wanderers Stadium
– South Africa vs Pakistan (Women’s)
1st T20I: February 10, 2025, JB Marks Oval
2nd T20I: February 13, 2025, Willowmoore Park
3rd T20I: February 16, 2025, Kimberley Oval
1st ODI: February 23, 2025, Mangaung Oval
2nd ODI: February 25, 2025, SuperSport Park
3rd ODI: March 1, 2025, Kingsmead Stadium.
In summary, the 2025/26 season will not feature men’s Test matches for South Africa, focusing instead on the women’s team hosting Ireland and Pakistan. These tours will promote strong competitive cricket and fan engagement. Additionally, preparations for younger teams and the men’s T20I series against the West Indies will facilitate ongoing development in South African cricket.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
