The Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) has confirmed that Karachi will host the inaugural Over-40s T20 World Cup from November 21 to December 1, 2025. This will be the first time the veteran tournament is played in the fast-paced T20 format, featuring 12 international teams.
Groups and Participating Teams
The 12 teams have been divided into two groups. Hosts Pakistan are placed in Group 1 along with the West Indies, South Africa, Hong Kong, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Group 2 includes Australia, the USA, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, and a Rest of the World (ROW) XI.
Star Power Lights Up the Veterans’ Event
Fans can look forward to seeing some of Pakistan’s biggest cricket names back in action. The Over-40s T20 World Cup will feature well-known former stars like Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, and Kamran Akmal. With such a lineup, the event is shaping up to be one of the most exciting veterans’ tournaments in recent memory.
Pakistan has already enjoyed great success in veterans’ cricket, having won titles in the Over-60s World Cup (Brisbane 2022), Over-40s Global Cup (Karachi 2023), and Over-50s World Cup (Colombo 2025).
Matches and Schedule Details
A total of 42 matches will be played across different venues in Karachi, with all of Pakistan’s games scheduled under lights to give fans the full T20 experience.
Originally, the tournament was planned for December 1 to 13, but organizers moved it up to November 21 to December 1 to avoid a clash with the 35th National Games, which will take place in Karachi from December 6 to 13.
PVCA Thanks All Participating Nations
PVCA Chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan expressed his appreciation to all 12 countries for their cooperation in finalizing the new dates.
“We have taken all 12 participating nations, including Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, US and rest of the World team, into confidence,” the PVCA chairman said.
“We are extremely grateful to all the teams for their cooperation and acceptance of our request for the new schedule,” he added.
Looking Ahead: Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Meanwhile, the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 6 to March 7, 2026. This edition will also feature 20 teams, continuing the expanded format introduced in 2024.
The top seven sides from the 2024 tournament have already qualified automatically, along with hosts India and Sri Lanka. Teams such as Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the United States, and the West Indies will also take part.
Defending champions India will aim to retain their title after defeating South Africa by seven wickets in the 2024 final. Playing on home soil again, the Men in Blue will look to continue their dominance in T20 cricket.
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