Pakistan A tour in Zimbabwe 2023/24

The Pakistan A tour in Zimbabwe (2023) was a bilateral series between the Pakistan Shaheens and Zimbabwe A, held from 3 to 27 May. The programme featured two Unofficial Test matches and six Unofficial One-Day Internationals. The Pakistan Shaheens, previously known as Pakistan A, secured a 2-0 victory in the Test series, while Zimbabwe Select won the ODI contest 4-2.

The Pakistan Shaheens were founded in 1964 by the Pakistan Cricket Board and rebranded in 2019. They operate as the second-tier national development squad, bridging domestic cricket and the senior national team. Participants in unofficial internationals, the squad provides experience to emerging players. In Pakistan, the domestic structure includes the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy for first-class cricket and the Hanif Mohammad Trophy for the second tier, with promotion and relegation operating between them.

Zimbabwe A was established in 1994 by Zimbabwe Cricket as a second-tier development squad. The country’s domestic structure comprises the Logan Cup, the Pro50 Championship, and the Zimbabwe Domestic Twenty20, contested by five provincial franchises. Unlike the Pakistani setup, Zimbabwe A is not part of a standalone domestic league but is selected from these provincial teams for bilateral series. The series is distinct from senior international cricket as it does not carry full international status or affect ICC rankings.

The 2023 tour marked the latest chapter in a relationship that began with previous bilateral series between the two A-teams in 2005 and 2016-17. During the 2023 campaign, notable performances included Omair Yousuf's unbeaten 250 in the first Test and Craig Ervine's 195 in the sixth ODI. These results highlighted the competitive nature of the fixtures, offering young cricketers from both nations valuable match practice away from the spotlight of the senior game.