Pakistan national cricket team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pakistan

Nickname(s)	Shaheens (lit. Falcons) Green Shirts Men in Green Cornered Tigers
Association	Pakistan Cricket Board
Personnel
Test captain	Shan Masood
One Day captain	Mohammad Rizwan
T20I captain	Salman Ali Agha
Coach	Mike Hesson
Batting coach	Hanif Malik
Bowling coach	Ashley Noffke
Fielding coach	Muhammad Masroor
Manager	Naveed Akram Cheema
History
Test status acquired	1952 (73 years ago) (1952)
Hong Kong Cricket Sixes wins	5
International Cricket Council
ICC status	Full Member (1952)
ICC region	ACC / ICC Asia
ICC Rankings Current Best-ever Test 7th 1st (1 August 1988) ODI 5th 1st (1 December 1990) T20I 8th 1st (1 November 2017)
Tests
First Test	v  India at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi; 16–18 October 1952
Last Test	v  West Indies at Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan; 25–27 January 2025
Tests Played Won/Lost Total 465 151/148 (166 draws) This year 3 1/2 (0 draws)
World Test Championship appearances	3 (first in 2021)
Best result	6th place (2021)
One Day Internationals
First ODI	v  New Zealand at Lancaster Park, Christchurch; 11 February 1973
Last ODI	v  New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui; 5 April 2025
ODIs Played Won/Lost Total 987 520/437 (9 ties, 21 no results) This year 8 1/7 (0 ties, 0 no results)
World Cup appearances	12 (first in 1975)
Best result	Champions (1992)
Twenty20 Internationals
First T20I	v  England at the Bristol County Ground, Bristol; 28 August 2006
Last T20I	v  Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka; 22 July 2025
T20Is Played Won/Lost Total 263 148/104 (4 ties, 7 no results) This year 10 4/6 (0 ties, 0 no results)
T20 World Cup appearances	8 (first in 2007)
Best result	Champions (2009)
Test kit ODI kit T20I kit
As of 22 July 2025

The Pakistan men's national cricket team plays for Pakistan in international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) manages the team. The PCB is a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Pakistan competes in Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 International (T20) matches.

Pakistan became a Test team in 1952. They started to have more success in the 1980s. They won their first major trophy, the ICC World Cup, in 1992. They also won the Asia Cup in 2000. In the 21st century, they won the T20 World Cup in 2009. They also won the Asia Cup again in 2012 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017. Pakistan won the first Asian Test Championship in 1999. They were also ranked the number one Test team in 2016.

For many years, international cricket matches were not played in Pakistan due to safety concerns. After an attack on the Sri Lanka team in 2009, Pakistan played its home games in the United Arab Emirates. International cricket slowly returned to Pakistan starting in 2016. This happened as security improved in the country.

History of Pakistan Cricket

Cricket was played in Pakistan even before the country was formed in 1947. The first international match in Karachi was on November 22, 1935. It was between a team from Sindh and an Australian team. About 5,000 people watched the game.

After Pakistan became independent in 1947, cricket grew quickly. Pakistan was given Test match status on July 28, 1952. This happened after India recommended it. Abdul Hafeez Kardar was the first captain of the Pakistan team.

Pakistan's first Test match was in Delhi in October 1952. India won that series 2–1. Pakistan's first tour of England was in 1954. They drew that series 1–1. This was thanks to fast bowler Fazal Mahmood, who took 12 wickets in one match. Pakistan's first home Test match was against India in January 1955. All five matches in that series were drawn.

The Pakistan team is known for being strong but sometimes unpredictable. They have many talented players. The India–Pakistan cricket rivalry is always very exciting. Fans from both sides love these matches. Pakistani fans in the United Kingdom have a fan club called the "Stani Army." They cheer loudly at matches and also help with charity work.

Test Cricket Journey

Pakistan's first Test match was in October 1952 against India. They lost the first game. But in the second Test, Pakistan won by an innings and 43 runs. Fazal Mahmood was amazing, taking 12 wickets. India won the next match, and the series ended 2–1 for India.

In 1954, Pakistan toured England and drew the series 1–1. This included a big win at The Oval where Fazal Mahmood took 12 wickets. Pakistan's first home Test series was against India in 1955. All five matches were drawn. Later that year, New Zealand visited Pakistan. Pakistan won their first Test series 2–0 against New Zealand.

In 1956, Australia played one Test in Pakistan. Pakistan won this match too. Fazal Mahmood was the star again, taking 13 wickets. In 1958, Pakistan toured West Indies. Hanif Mohammad played an incredible innings of 337 runs. This saved Pakistan from a big loss in one match.

Test Performance from 1970 to 1990s

From 1970 to 1979, Pakistan's Test performance was not great. They won only 6 out of 41 matches. But from 1980 to 1989, they improved a lot. They won 20 out of 72 matches. In 1987, Pakistan played a thrilling series in India. They won the final match by 16 runs. In 1988, Pakistan was ranked the No.1 Test team. This was a huge moment for them.

From 1990 to 1999, Pakistan did even better. They won 40 out of 74 matches. A big achievement was winning the Asian Test Championship in 1999. They beat Sri Lanka in the final.

Test Cricket in the 21st Century

In 2002, Pakistan played in their second Asian Test Championship. They reached the final but lost to Sri Lanka.

In 2010, a big cheating scandal happened during a Test series in England. Some Pakistani players were involved in "spot-fixing." This means they deliberately did certain things in the game for money. The captain, Salman Butt, and bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were found guilty. They were given prison sentences.

Misbah-ul-Haq's Captaincy

After the scandal, Misbah ul Haq became the new captain. He led Pakistan to many successes. In 2012, Pakistan beat England, who were the No.1 team at the time, in a series in the UAE. This was a huge win.

In 2014, Pakistan had another great performance. They beat Australia 2–0 in a Test series in the UAE. The win in the second Test was their biggest ever against any team. Misbah also scored one of the fastest Test centuries in that match.

In 2016, Pakistan became the No.1 Test team in the world. This was the first time they reached this rank since 1988. They were given a special trophy called the Test mace. Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan retired from Test cricket in 2017. They ended their careers with a historic Test series win in the West Indies.

White Ball Cricket (ODIs and T20Is)

1986 Austral-Asia Cup Victory

In 1986, Pakistan won the Austral-Asia Cup in Sharjah, UAE. They beat their rivals India in a thrilling final. Javed Miandad became a national hero. He hit a six off the very last ball to win the match. India had set a target of 245 runs. Miandad scored 116 not out to lead Pakistan to victory.

1992 Cricket World Cup Champions

Pakistani opener Yasir Hameed playing against Australia at Lord's in England

The 1992 Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand was Pakistan's first World Cup win. The team, led by an injured Imran Khan, made an amazing comeback. They lost 3 of their first 5 matches. Imran Khan told the team to play like "cornered tigers." After that, Pakistan won five matches in a row. This included the semi-final against New Zealand and the final against England.

In the semi-final, New Zealand scored 262 runs. Pakistan needed 115 runs from 7.67 runs per over. A young player named Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a quick 60 runs off 37 balls. This helped Pakistan win the match.

2007 Cricket World Cup Challenges

The 2007 Cricket World Cup was a tough tournament for Pakistan. They were knocked out early after a surprising loss to Ireland. This was a big upset. The team's coach, Bob Woolmer, sadly passed away during the tournament. This was a very difficult time for the team. Later, it was confirmed that he died of natural causes.

Inzamam-ul-Haq resigned as captain after the World Cup. Shoaib Malik took over as the new captain.

2009 ICC World T20 Champions

In 2009, Pakistan won the ICC World T20 in England. In the final at Lord's, they played against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka batted first and scored 138 runs. Pakistan chased the target easily. Openers Kamran Akmal and Shahzaib Hasan started well. Shahid Afridi scored the winning runs and was named Man of the Match. This was Pakistan's first world title since the 1992 World Cup.

Shahid Afridi batting against Sri Lanka in the ICC World Twenty20 Final at Lord's in England

Recent White Ball Cricket

Pakistan reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World T20 in West Indies. They lost to Australia in a close match. In the 2011 World Cup, Pakistan reached the semi-finals again. They beat Australia, ending their long winning streak in World Cups. However, Pakistan lost to India in the semi-final.

In the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka, Pakistan made it to the semi-finals. They lost to the host team, Sri Lanka. The 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh was disappointing. Pakistan did not reach the semi-finals.

In the 2015 World Cup, Pakistan reached the quarter-finals. They lost to Australia in a tight game. This was the last ODI match for captain Misbah-ul-Haq and all-rounder Shahid Afridi. After this, Azhar Ali became the new ODI captain.

In 2017, Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy. They had a tough start, losing to India. But they improved and won against South Africa and Sri Lanka. They then beat England in the semi-final. In the final, they played India again. Pakistan scored 338 runs. Fakhar Zaman scored his first century. Pakistan's bowlers then bowled out India for 180 runs. This gave Pakistan their first Champions Trophy. Hasan Ali was named player of the tournament.

Pakistan played in the 2019 Cricket World Cup and finished fifth. They reached the semi-finals of the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and the finals of the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup. They lost the 2022 final to England. In 2023, Pakistan played in the 2023 Cricket World Cup in India. They finished fifth and did not reach the semi-finals.

Governing Body

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in charge of all cricket in Pakistan. This includes Test matches and first-class cricket. The PCB joined the International Cricket Council in 1953. The board is run by former cricketers and experienced administrators.

The PCB has also created popular domestic tournaments. These include the Pakistan Super League, which is a Twenty20 league. These tournaments have helped make cricket more popular in Pakistan.

Tournament Achievements

A red box around the year means the tournament was played in Pakistan.

World Test Championship

Cricket World Cup

World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Squad
1975	Group Stage	5/8	3	1	2	0	0	Squad
1979	Semi-finals	3/8	4	2	2	0	0	Squad
1983	Semi-finals	4/8	7	3	4	0	0	Squad
1987	Semi-finals	4/8	7	5	2	0	0	Squad
1992	Champions	1/9	10	6	3	0	1	Squad
1996	Quarter-finals	6/12	6	4	2	0	0	Squad
1999	Runners-up	2/12	10	6	4	0	0	Squad
2003	Group Stage	10/14	6	2	3	0	1	Squad
2007	Group Stage	10/16	3	1	2	0	0	Squad
2011	Semi-finals	3/14	8	6	2	0	0	Squad
2015	Quarter-finals	6/14	7	4	3	0	0	Squad
2019	Group Stage	5/10	9	5	3	0	1	Squad
2023	Group Stage	5/10	9	4	5	0	0	Squad
2027	TBA
2031
Total	13/13	1 Title	89	49	37	0	3

T20 World Cup

T20 World Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Squad
2007	Runners-up	2/12	7	5	1	1	0	Squad
2009	Champions	1/12	7	5	2	0	0	Squad
2010	Semi-finals	4/12	6	2	4	0	0	Squad
2012	Semi-finals	4/12	6	4	2	0	0	Squad
2014	Super 10	5/16	4	2	2	0	0	Squad
2016	Super 10	7/16	4	1	3	0	0	Squad
2021	Semi-finals	3/16	6	5	1	0	0	Squad
2022	Runners-up	2/16	7	4	3	0	0	Squad
2024	Group Stage	11/20	4	2	1	1	0	Squad
2026	Qualified
2028	TBA
2030
Total	9/9	1 Title	51	30	19	2	0

Champions Trophy

Known as the ’ICC Knockout’ in 1998 and 2000.

Champions Trophy record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR	Squad
1998	Quarter-finals	5/9	1	0	1	0	0	Squad
2000	Semi-finals	3/11	2	1	1	0	0	Squad
2002	Group Stage	5/12	2	1	1	0	0	Squad
2004	Semi-finals	4/12	3	2	1	0	0	Squad
2006	Group Stage	8/10	3	1	2	0	0	Squad
2009	Semi-finals	3/8	4	2	2	0	0	Squad
2013	Group Stage	8/8	3	0	3	0	0	Squad
2017	Champions	1/8	5	4	1	0	0	Squad
2025	Group Stage	7/8	3	0	2	0	1	Squad
2029	TBD
Total	9/9	1 Title	26	11	14	0	1

Asia Cup

Asia Cup record
Year	Round	Position	GP	W	L	T	NR
1984	Group stage	3/3	2	0	2	0	0
1986	Runners-up	2/3	3	2	1	0	0
1988	Group stage	3/4	3	1	2	0	0
1990–91	Did not participate
1995	Group Stage	3/4	3	2	1	0	0
1997			3	1	1	0	1
2000	Champions	1/4	4	4	0	0	0
2004	Super Fours	3/6	5	4	1	0	0
2008			5	3	2	0	0
2010	Group stage	3/4	3	1	2	0	0
2012	Champions	1/4	4	3	1	0	0
2014	Runners-up	2/5	5	3	2	0	0
2016	Group Stage	3/5	4	2	2	0	0
2018	Super Fours	3/6	5	2	3	0	0
2022	Runners-up	2/6	6	3	3	0	0
2023	Super Fours	4/6	5	2	2	0	1
2025	Qualified
Total	15/16	2 Titles	60	33	25	0	2

Other Tournaments

Honours and Trophies

ICC Trophies

• World Cup
  • Champions (1): 1992
  • Runners-up (1): 1999
• T20 World Cup
  • Champions (1): 2009
  • Runners-up (2): 2007, 2022
• Champions Trophy
  • Champions (1): 2017

ACC Trophies

• Asia Cup
  • Champions (2): 2000, 2012
  • Runners-up (3): 1986, 2014, 2022
• Asian Test Championship
  • Champions (1): 1998–99
  • Runners-up (1): 2001–02

Other Awards

• Asian Games
  • Bronze Medal (1): 2010
• South Asian Games
  • Bronze Medal (1): 2010

International Cricket Grounds

Correct as of the conclusion of Bangladesh's tour in 2025.

Pakistan Women's Cricket Team

Pakistan Women's T20 Cricket team

The Pakistan women's national cricket team has shown great strength and progress in international cricket. Even with fewer resources and less recognition, they have made big steps since 1997. They have played in many ICC events. They finished 5th in the 2009 Women's Cricket World Cup. They were also runners-up in the Women's Asia Cup in 2012 and 2016. Their biggest wins were gold medals at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014. These were important moments for women's sports in Pakistan. The team continues to inspire and help grow women's cricket.

Team Colours and Sponsors

In Test matches, the team wears white uniforms. They can wear a green and gold sweater in cold weather. Pepsi has been a main sponsor since 1993. Their logo is on the chest. Other sponsors like TCL are on the sleeves. The Pakistan Cricket star is on the left side of the chest. Players wear a green cap or a white sunhat with the team logo. Their helmets are also green.

Currently, AJ Sports makes the team's kits. For ICC tournaments, "Pakistan" is written on the front of the jersey. The sponsor logo is on the sleeve. For other matches, the Pepsi logo is clearly visible on the front. The Pakistan Cricket Board logo is always on the left chest.

Team Logo

Pakistan's cricket team's logo is a star. It is usually gold or green. Inside the star, the word "Pakistan" (پاکِستان) is written in Urdu. This is Pakistan's national language.

Current Squad and Pay

On October 27, 2024, the PCB announced new contracts for the players. There are 25 players in four different groups. Players get 3% of the ICC's yearly money. This is in addition to their monthly pay and match fees.

Here are the monthly salaries for players:

• Category A – ₨4.5 million
• Category B – ₨3 million
• Category C & D – ₨0.75 million – ₨1.5 million

Coaching and Managing Staff

Correct as of May 25, 2025

Pakistan has changed head coaches many times. Since 1992, they have had 27 different head coaches. Some coaches have worked with the team multiple times.

Records and Achievements

Overall Match Summary

Top Batting Records

Top One-Day International Batting Records

Top Bowling Records

Images for kids

• 

  The match held between Sindh & Australia in Karachi on 22 November 1935.

See also

In Spanish: Selección de críquet de Pakistán para niños

• Cricket in Pakistan
• India–Pakistan cricket rivalry
• Pakistan blind cricket team
• Pakistan national women's cricket team
• Pakistan Super League
• Pakistani national cricket captains