fter few days, the year 2025 will become past. In Pakistan cricket the year 2025 emerged as a pivotal transitional phase for Pakistan cricket, defined by experimentation, generational change, and sharply contrasting outcomes across the three formats. While the national side delivered encouraging performances in limited-overs cricket—particularly in Twenty20 Internationals—sustained consistency remained a concern, most notably in Test cricket.

Pakistan’s results in 2025 reflected a team in evolution. The men’s side registered a record number of T20I victories in a single calendar year, underlining its growing strength in the shortest format. However, progress in One Day Internationals and Tests proved more uneven, exposing structural and strategic challenges in longer formats.

The year also witnessed notable shifts in leadership, with captaincy changes across formats highlighting the management’s search for stability and long-term direction. Collectively, the performances, player contributions, and statistical trends of 2025 offered a clear snapshot of a team moving forward with promise, yet still grappling with the demands of consistency and adaptability across formats.

T20 Internationals (T20Is): Promise, Power, and Persistent Volatility

Twenty20 cricket emerged as Pakistan’s brightest format in 2025. The national side set a new benchmark by recording 21 T20I victories from 34 matches, the most wins in a single calendar year. Pakistan also maintained an unbeaten record at home in the shortest format, highlighted by triumphs in a home tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

The Green Shirts reached the Asia Cup final, where they faced arch-rivals India, but fell short of lifting the trophy. Overall, Pakistan’s T20I campaign reflected the team’s traditional unpredictability—capable of defeating elite opposition on one occasion and faltering unexpectedly on another.

Statistically, Pakistan’s success in T20Is was closely linked to strong starts. Matches in which the team scored 50 or more runs in the power-play resulted in a significantly higher win percentage.

Conversely, the win probability dropped sharply when three or more wickets fell within the first six overs.

Fast bowlers accounted for the majority of wickets in 2025, underlining Pakistan’s pace strength. However, inconsistency in death overs proved costly, with several close matches slipping away due to lapses at the back end of innings.

One Day Internationals (ODIs): Stability amid transition

The ODI format presented mixed results in 2025. Pakistan played 17 ODIs, winning seven and losing ten, including participation in a tri-series in February and bilateral home series against

South Africa and Sri Lanka. During the year, Shaheen Shah Afridi assumed ODI captaincy, marking another leadership transition.

Despite the numbers, ODI cricket remained Pakistan’s most stable format. Following earlier experimental phases, the team settled into clearer roles, producing more competitive performances against mid-to-top-tier opposition.

Batting structure improved notably, particularly in run chases. The top three batsmen contributed a substantial share of total runs, and power-play collapses were reduced compared to previous seasons. Bowling performances were strongest when defending totals between 260 and 300, with Pakistan winning a clear majority of such matches.

Home conditions also played a decisive role. Pakistan won over 70 percent of ODIs when posting scores above 280, reflecting strong alignment between batting intent and match outcomes.

Test Cricket 2025: Rebuilding amid inconsistency Test cricket proved the most challenging format for Pakistan in 2025. The team recorded two wins and three losses in five matches, beginning their 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle with a home series defeat against South Africa in October. Shan Masood continued as Test captain throughout the year.

While Pakistan remained competitive at home, overseas performances exposed significant technical and mental shortcomings, particularly in batting. Statistically, the largest weakness was first-innings performance, with Pakistan frequently conceding leads exceeding 150 runs, placing sustained pressure on the bowling unit.

There were modest signs of improvement in middle-order resilience later in the year, but not enough to materially influence results. Fast bowlers once again formed the backbone of the Test side, claiming the bulk of wickets. However, the lack of sustained pressure and limited impact from spinners on flatter surfaces reduced overall effectiveness.

Notably, Pakistan lost more than half of their Tests after conceding a first-innings lead, underlining the critical importance of stronger starts in red-ball cricket.

Salman Ali Agha emerged as a prolific scorer for Pakistan across all international formats during 2025, also captaining the T20I side in the Asia Cup and Tri-Series. He scored a match-winning century against South Africa in the 2024-25 Tri-Nation Series, which was a defining moment in his career.

On the bowling side, Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah were the joint-leading wicket-takers in ODIs.

Salman Ali Agha was a standout performer, not only leading in runs scored but also scoring a crucial match-winning century against South Africa in an ODI during the 2024-25 Tri-Nation Series. He also captained the T20I side at times during the year.

Babar Azam continued his consistent form, again crossing 1,000 international runs in a calendar year.

On the bowling front, young spinners and pacers made a mark, with Abrar Ahmed and Naseem Shah leading the ODI wicket charts with 18 wickets each.

Noman Ali established himself as a top Test bowler, entering the top 5 of the ICC Test bowling rankings during the year.

The statistical narrative of Pakistan cricket in 2025 points more toward transition than achievement. ODI cricket offered relative stability and cautious optimism, while Test cricket highlighted the urgent need for structural reform—particularly in batting. T20I performances showcased significant potential but also exposed gaps in tactical execution.

As Pakistan moves forward, the data identifies clear priorities: stronger Test batting foundations, sharper T20I decision-making, and sustained momentum in ODIs. If the lessons of 2025 are applied effectively, the numbers suggest Pakistan can translate promise into consistent performance in the years ahead.

Performance Summary in 2025

Format Played won Lost Draw/NR

T20I 34 21 13 0/0

ODI 17 7 10 0/0

Test 5 2 3 0/0

Overall 56 30 26 0/0

Pakistan’s top International Performers in 2025

Salman Ali Agha All formats 1492 runs (56 inngs)

Babar Azam All formats 1028 runs (33 inngs)

Mohammad Rizwan ODI 556 runs (15 inns post-WC)

Abrar Ahmed ODI 18 wickets

Naseem Shah ODI 18 wickets

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