London, July 4 (FN Bureau) England men’s and women’s teams will kick off the 2024 summer at home with concurrent white-ball series against Pakistan. The England men’s team will play a four-match T20I series at home against Pakistan in late May before they head to the Caribbean to defend the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title. The Test matches in the summer begin with two home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka following their return from the T20 World Cup.Both series comprise three Tests, with Lord’s, Trent Bridge, The Oval, Manchester and Edgbaston hosting the matches, the ICC reported.Australia return to England for a white-ball series in September, playing three T20Is and five ODIs. “Fans across England and Wales will also get to see our England Men’s world champions in action ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence, before three-match Test series against both West Indies and Sri Lanka,” ECB chief executive officer, Richard Gould, said.
Meanwhile, the women’s team is set to play in some of the major venues including Edgbaston, Headingley, The Ageas Bowl, The Kia Oval and Lord’s following record ticket sales this summer. Heather Knight’s women’s team, like the men’s, start the international summer against Pakistan.The concurrent series follows the success template of the ongoing Ashes series, where the men’s and women’s series are happening side-by-side. The Women’s Ashes Series have attracted record ticket sales according to the ECB this summer. “Next summer’s schedule will see England Women play at more venues and allow more people to see their heroes in action as we look to maintain the growth the women’s game deserves,” Gould said.