Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2026: Full Schedule, Venues & Timings

Seven weeks, three formats, three cities and one very busy month of October. Here is everything you need to know about Pakistan’s home cricket season, from the first T20I match in Rawalpindi to the final Test match in Lahore. If you are a Pakistani cricket fan, you have some exciting weeks ahead. Sri Lanka arrives in Pakistan on October 4 and the period from October 9 to November 21 will feature T20I matches, a tri-nation ODI tournament involving England and two World Test Championship matches. It promises to be a real feast of cricket. We have reviewed the official PCB announcement and other sources so you don’t have to. Below, you will find the full schedule, venues, timing details (which are a bit complex, let’s be honest) and a few things worth keeping a special eye on.

Sri Lanka Tour of Pakistan 2026 at a Glance

Detail Info Tour window 9 October to 21 November 2026

Sri Lanka arrive 4 October 2026

Formats 3 T20Is, ODI tri-series (with England), 1 three-day match, 2 Tests

Cities Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore

Announced by Pakistan Cricket Board, 19 August 2026

Test series Part of ICC World Test Championship 2025-27

It's also Pakistan's second ODI tri-series in as many years. Think of the whole tour as a mini-season, with the ODI leg doubling as build-up to the 2027 World Cup.

Full Schedule: Dates and Venues

Here's the whole thing in order. T20I series: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Match Date Venue 1st T20I Friday, 9 October Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

2nd T20I Sunday, 11 October Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

3rd T20I Tuesday, 13 October Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

ODI tri-series: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England Match Date Fixture Venue 1st Sunday, 18 October Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Rawalpindi

2nd Tuesday, 20 October Pakistan vs England Rawalpindi

3rd Thursday, 22 October England vs Sri Lanka Rawalpindi

4th Sunday, 25 October Pakistan vs England Lahore

5th Tuesday, 27 October Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Lahore

6th Thursday, 29 October Sri Lanka vs England Lahore

Final Saturday, 31 October Top two teams Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Warm-up and Tests

Match Date Venue Three-day match (Sri Lanka vs Patrons XI) 4-6 November Islamabad

1st Test 9-13 November Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

2nd Test 17-21 November Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Here is some information about the tri-nation tournament: a press release from the PCB confirms that the first three matches will be held in Rawalpindi and the final on October 31 in Lahore, while Pakistan Today describes the tournament as being a seven match series. The sources do not completely agree on the venues for the intervening matches and one report refers to the tournament as consisting of five matches. We have taken our information from the version of events supported by the majority of sources. Make sure to check the PCB's website before buying tickets or making plans.

Match Timings: What We Know and What We Don't

Let’s be honest: the PCB hasn’t announced official start times yet. Anyone giving an exact time right now is just guessing. However, here is what we do know: During the T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi in November 2025, the PCB scheduled all matches for 18:00 local time. That gives us a good indication for the T20I matches in October. One fixture website has listed the first T20I match at 20.30 Indian Standard Time (IST) which is 20.00 Pakistan Standard Time (PKT). This is unconfirmed so take with a pinch of salt. Time difference between Pakistan and Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka is 30 minutes ahead of Pakistan; so if a match were to start at 18:00 PKT it would be 18:30 in Sri Lanka and 13:00 GMT. Our advice to you: expect the T20I matches to take place in the evening however, wait for confirmation from the PCB before making any plans. As for the Test matches, a traditional morning start time is likely, but again, wait for the official announcement. We will update the timings as soon as they are available.

The Story Behind the Tour

This isn't just a random set of fixtures. There are a few things that make it interesting.

Historic Link Between Rawalpindi and Sri Lanka

There is a historic link between Rawalpindi and Sri Lanka, with the first international match in Rawalpindi being an ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on 19 January 1992. Sri Lanka were the opposition when Test cricket returned to Pakistan in December 2019, playing the first Test match at Rawalpindi. This tour therefore evokes historic events.

1. Pakistan prevailed the last time the teams met here. Pakistan triumphed over Sri Lanka in the final of a T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi back in November 2025. Sri Lanka will be looking to get revenge, especially after the T20I series against Pakistan in January 2026, which ended in a 1-1 tie.
2. All teams are competing for points in the World Test Championship (WTC). At the time of the PCB's announcement, Sri Lanka sat in sixth place and Pakistan in eighth on the tournament standings. Two Test matches, with crucial points at stake, could move either team up or down the table. This also marks only Pakistan's second home Test series of this WTC cycle.
3. The ODI portion of the series is part of the preparation for the World Cup. With the 2027 ODI World Cup fast approaching-less than a year away-the tri-nation tournament offers an ideal opportunity to test the teams' capabilities. Bringing together three former world champions for a tournament on Pakistani soil is a rare and highly desirable event.

Squads: What to Expect

Neither Pakistan nor Sri Lanka have yet announced which players will participate in this tour, so we will not pretend to know who the final squads will be. Here is what can be expected from the upcoming fixtures based on the recent games. Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah have been a part of the recent white-ball (T20 and ODI) squads while Abrar Ahmed and Noman Ali can be considered as strong spin bowling options for the Test matches. Salman Ali Agha captained the T20 side in the last series against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Squad: The players who could be considered for selection are Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana. Dasun Shanaka captained the side in the T20 matches played in January. England Squad: Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid are a few prominent names that could be a part of the tri-series, though England's final squads have still not been announced. Please regard the names above as likely participants rather than final squads. We will update this section once the PCB and Sri Lanka Cricket announce their teams.

Venues: Rawalpindi vs Lahore

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host the T20I matches, the opening two games of the tri-nation series and the opening Test. Flat pitches which are batsman-friendly (particularly at the start) are the norm around Rawalpindi, although spinners tend to prosper during the longer format. Expect a high score chase in the T20Is with big six-hitting on display.

Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the latter two matches of the tri-nation series, the final and the second Test. Lahore is famed for its large crowds, but the atmosphere is unique. Worth remembering that in October and November it is not uncommon for smog to form a thick white haze over the city reducing visibility, so keep an eye on the weather forecast.

Islamabad Warm-up Match

Islamabad will host a three-day warm-up match for the Sri Lankans in the week leading up to the Test matches.

Five Things to Watch

Babar Azam’s form.

Regardless of the debate surrounding him, every fan has an opinion on Babar-and this tour offers him ample opportunities to let his bat do the talking.

Sri Lanka’s spinners against Pakistan’s batters

Hasaranga and Theekshana in white-ball matches and Prabath Jayasuriya in Tests, are the kind of spinners who can dictate the flow of the game on a slow pitch.

Shaheen and Naseem with the new ball

In the evening, under floodlights, swing (the movement of the ball in the air) plays a crucial role. If Pakistan’s fast bowlers master this, the opposition’s top-order batters could find themselves in trouble.

England’s influence

England joining the mix for the tri-series creates a new challenge. They play an aggressive brand of cricket and could upset the balance between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The Test matches

Two games, five days each, with World Test Championship (WTC) points at stake. Here, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have the chance to demonstrate just how good their teams really are.

How to Watch and Buy Tickets

Live broadcast and TV: The PCB has not yet confirmed which broadcasters will air the matches. Keep an eye on the PCB’s website and social media channels, as well as local sports channels, as the first match approaches. Tickets: The PCB has not announced any ticket sales date and price for the October matches. For reference, the tickets for the T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi in November 2025 will cost 200 rupees per person for the group stage matches, whereas for the VIPs, it will be 500 rupees for the opening matches. The prices may be different this time too, so fans are required to wait for the official announcement.

Why This Tour Matters

Fans in Pakistan have long awaited the return of home cricket matches to normalcy and this schedule demonstrates the significant progress made in that regard. Visits from the Sri Lankan and English teams mean that three of the world's best sides will be playing across three cities over the course of seven weeks. For the players, this also presents an opportunity to secure a spot in the plans for the 2027 World Cup and the upcoming WTC cycle. Whether you plan to watch from the stands in Rawalpindi or from the comfort of your sofa at home, this is a journey worth marking on your calendar.

FAQs

When does the Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2026 begin and conclude? Sri Lanka arrive on 4 October, the first T20I is on 9 October in Rawalpindi and the tour finishes with a second Test in Lahore from 17 to 21 November 2026.

What is the entire schedule of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2026? There are three T20Is in Rawalpindi on 9, 11 and 13 October, an ODI tri-series with England from 18 to 31 October in Rawalpindi and Lahore, a three-day match in Islamabad from 4 to 6 November and two Tests: Rawalpindi from 9 to 13 November and Lahore from 17 to 21 November.

What time will the matches begin? The PCB has not yet announced official timings. As a comparison, last year's T20I tri-series in Rawalpindi began at 6 PM local time. Look at the PCB website for the confirmed start times. SEO DETAIL