Cricket South Africa’s 2025/26 season features no men’s Test matches, focusing instead on the women’s teams hosting Ireland and Pakistan for white-ball series. The men’s team will play T20Is against the West Indies and participate in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Additionally, developmental matches are planned for U19 and A teams.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced that during the 2025/26 home season, the men’s team will not host any Test matches. Instead, the focus will be on the women’s teams, who are set to host Ireland and Pakistan for white-ball series. The Ireland series will run from December 5 to December 19, while the Pakistan series is scheduled from February 10 to March 1, 2026. Both series consist of three T20 Internationals (T20Is) and three One Day Internationals (ODIs).
The upcoming series against Pakistan marks the inaugural round of the new International Women’s Championship (IWC) cycle, leading towards the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, the South African men’s team will engage in a five-match T20I series against the West Indies from January 27 to February 6, 2026, prior to participating in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup hosted in India and Sri Lanka.
Pholetsi Moseki, CEO of CSA, expressed enthusiasm regarding the women’s matches, stating these tours provide significant competition and entertainment for fans. He also noted that, due to outbound tours to Australia, England, Pakistan, and India, the international window for men’s cricket is shorter next season. The Betway SA20 league will occur before the T20I series against West Indies, offering crucial experience ahead of the World Cup.
Additionally, the South Africa U19 Men’s team will compete in a three-match Youth ODI series against Bangladesh from July 17 to July 22, to prepare for the 2026 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. The South Africa A team will also play New Zealand A in three 50-over matches and two four-day matches throughout August and September 2026. Moseki emphasized the importance of these development tours for nurturing talent in the national cricket pipeline.
In summary, South Africa’s 2025/26 cricket season will be highlighted by a lack of men’s Test matches while the women’s teams engage in two significant series against Ireland and Pakistan, offering both competitive exposure and entertainment for fans. Furthermore, the upcoming series aligns with developmental goals for younger teams, ensuring a continued investment in South African cricket’s future.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
