Bangladesh Cricket Tour to Pakistan Stalls Amid Fresh Security Risks

Jun, 2 2025

Security Jitters Threaten Bangladesh's Pakistan Tour

If you thought another international cricket series between Pakistan and Bangladesh would go off without a hitch, think again. Right now, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in wait-and-see mode, holding off on sending its men's team to Pakistan. Why? Security is the only word you need to hear. It’s top of mind for everyone involved—and not without reason.

It all started spiraling after a drone attack shook things up near Rawalpindi Stadium, just as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was underway. That single incident did more than pause the PSL—it sent overseas stars packing for Dubai, rattled nerves, and put Pakistan’s efforts to revive home-based international cricket right back into the danger zone. With a fresh T20I series between Bangladesh and Pakistan on the calendar, it’s no wonder decision-makers are hesitating.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has tried to calm things by rolling out a new playbook: army personnel will join civil forces in safeguarding the venues. The series has also been trimmed down to three matches, all at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with dates now set for May 28, 30, and June 1. The strategy? Keep everything in one city, keep logistics simpler, and hopefully, minimize risks.

But here’s the catch. Bangladesh still isn’t locked in—not by a long shot. The BCB keeps pointing to one thing: they need a sign-off from their government. And it’s not a formality this time. Officials in Dhaka are waiting on security briefings from both their foreign and home ministries before they let their squad set foot in Pakistan. They’re not forgetting history—Pakistan has hosted Bangladesh under tight protection before—but the latest incidents, plus regional instability, mean this is a whole different scenario.

Player Reluctance and Regional Tensions

The fallout from that drone scare is still fresh. Ask any foreign player if they're itching to get back to Pakistan, and the answer is a nervous shrug. The PCB can offer as many safety reassurances as it likes, but there’s no getting around that a lot of cricketers—and their boards—are now second-guessing every flight booking. This hesitation is a real threat to Pakistan’s chance of proving they’re a safe cricket destination.

That’s on top of the underlying headaches: simmering Indo-Pakistani tensions and the often unpredictable geopolitics of the region. Teams and administrators know that a minor incident on the border or a single security breach could turn their schedules upside down. Every new development forces boards to look again at their risk assessments before green-lighting tours.

The Bangladesh tour could have been a step forward for Pakistan’s rebuilding project after years in the cricketing wilderness. Instead, the focus is again on armored vehicles and diplomatic clearances, not century-making batsmen or pace bowlers in full flight. Until the BCB gets the official nod from its government, the series stays in limbo—and every precaution, every delay, will keep casting that familiar shadow over international cricket in the subcontinent.