Manuka Oval will play host to England at this year’s Prime Minister’s XI men’s cricket match.
The PM’s XI, a novel two-day pink-ball fixture before the day-night Ashes Test, will take place in Canberra from 29-30 November, falling between the first and second Ashes Tests.
The match is the first time an England XI will play a multi-day match against the PM’s XI in what has until recently typically been a one-day affair.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “looking forward to meeting with the selectors to finalise a PM’s XI squad that showcases the best available talent from across Australia to take on the strong English team”.
The match promises to be the sterner of England’s two warm-up matches on their tour down under this summer, with the other a pre-series hit out against their England Lions development squad.
A statement by Cricket ACT said this year marked the eleventh time England has played against the PM’s XI, and the first using the pink Kookaburra ball.
It also represents a decade since the two sides met in 2015, when Ian Bell’s stunning 187 off 145 balls led England to a 60-run win in a high-scoring 50-over thriller, despite a blistering 136 off 89 balls from Glenn Maxwell, the statement continued.
“The PM’s XI match is a proud tradition in Australian cricket, celebrating not only sporting excellence but also the deep cultural and historical ties between Australia and visiting nations,” ACT Cricket ACT said.
“This year’s fixture will showcase the longstanding cricketing rivalry and enduring friendship between Australia and England, one of the most celebrated and storied relationships in world sport.
“With the Men’s Ashes series underway, the rivalry will be at fever pitch, adding extra intensity and significance to this special match in the nation’s capital.”
The match adds to a blockbuster season of international cricket at Manuka Oval, which will also host two other highly anticipated matchups including the Men’s T20 International between Australia and India on Wednesday 29 October 2025, and the Women’s T20 International between Australia and India on Thursday 19 February 2026.
The PM’s XI broke with tradition in the 2022-23 summer when it played against a four-day game against the touring West Indies. That day-night match was the first PM’s XI fixture to use the pink Kookaburra, which will again feature this summer.
Likewise, last summer was supposed to see a two-day pink ball fixture against India, although the first day was completely rained out.
Tickets are available to purchase at https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=pmsxi25
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