Sri Lanka’s squad has already landed in Pakistan, and more than six weeks of cricket start on Friday.
The Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2026 runs from 9 October to 21 November. It packs in three T20 Internationals, an ODI tri-series with England, one three-day warm-up, and two Tests.
Fans need dates, venues, and start times in one place. This guide lists every fixture in order, so you can plan your weeks around the cricket.
Tour Overview at a Glance
Sri Lanka arrived on 4 October. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced the programme in August, and England joins for the white-ball middle section.
The table below shows how the Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2026 breaks into four phases.
| Phase | Format | Dates (2026) | Venue |
| T20I series | 3 T20Is | 9, 11, 13 October | Rawalpindi |
| ODI tri-series | 6 league matches and a final | 18 to 31 October | Rawalpindi and Lahore |
| Warm-up | 3-day match | 4 to 6 November | Islamabad |
| Test series | 2 Tests | 9 to 13 and 17 to 21 November | Rawalpindi and Lahore |
Both Tests belong to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. That gives the red-ball games real weight, and you will see it in the selection choices.
The tour is also compact. Only three cities are involved, and Rawalpindi alone hosts seven matches.
Three T20Is in Rawalpindi
The tour opens with a short T20I series. All three games are at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, and all three are night matches.
- 1st T20I: Friday, 9 October
- 2nd T20I: Sunday, 11 October
- 3rd T20I: Tuesday, 13 October
Each game starts at 8:00 pm Pakistan time, which is 3:00 pm GMT. Fans in India and Sri Lanka will see the first ball at 8:30 pm.
Three matches in five days leave little room to rest. My guess is that squad depth will matter more than any single star.
Sri Lanka also gets a free first week of acclimatisation, since the squad arrived five days before the first game.
The ODI Tri-Series Fixtures
Right after the T20Is, England joins Pakistan and Sri Lanka for a triangular ODI event. Each side plays the other two twice, so every team has four league games.
The top two teams after the league stage meet in the final at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. This is the second year in a row that Pakistan has hosted a tri-series of this kind.
| Match | Date | Fixture | Venue |
| 1st | Sunday, 18 October | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Rawalpindi |
| 2nd | Tuesday, 20 October | Pakistan v England | Rawalpindi |
| 3rd | Thursday, 22 October | Sri Lanka v England | Rawalpindi |
| 4th | Sunday, 25 October | Pakistan v England | Lahore |
| 5th | Tuesday, 27 October | Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Lahore |
| 6th | Thursday, 29 October | Sri Lanka v England | Lahore |
| Final | Saturday, 31 October | Top two teams | Lahore |
Sri Lanka plays on 18, 22, 27, and 29 October. Pakistan is the opponent on two of those dates, so the host team sets the tone early.
If Sri Lanka reaches the final, its tour will already be well past the halfway mark. A deep run also means less downtime before the warm-up match.
The Warm-Up Match in Islamabad
After the tri-series comes a three-day tour match in Islamabad, played from 4 to 6 November. The opponent is the Pakistan Cricket Board Patron’s XI.
Cricinfo lists a 9:30 am local start. The match gives Test hopefuls a proper look at red-ball conditions before the first Test.
Three free days (1, 2, and 3 November) separate the tri-series final from this game. Players can reset their minds after a long white-ball block.
Not every squad member needs the time in the middle. Selectors will likely use these three days to test combinations for the Tests.
Two Tests in Two Cities
The red-ball leg is short but important. Two five-day Tests are scheduled, one in each of the tour’s main cities.
| Test | Dates | Venue | Start (PKT) |
| 1st Test | 9 to 13 November (Mon to Fri) | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | 9:30 am |
| 2nd Test | 17 to 21 November (Tue to Sat) | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | 9:30 am |
Rawalpindi gets the first Test, and Lahore stages the second. That keeps the order of venues the same as in the tri-series.
The gap between the Tests is three days (14, 15, and 16 November). It is enough to travel and recover, but not enough to forget the first result.
A two-match series leaves no room for a slow start. One bad session can decide who leads going into the finale.
Match Timings in Pakistan Time
Start times vary by format. All times below use Pakistan Standard Time (PKT, UTC+5), with GMT and India time added for readers abroad.
| Format | PKT | GMT | IST |
| T20Is | 8:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 8:30 pm |
| Tests | 9:30 am | 4:30 am | 10:00 am |
| Warm-up match | 9:30 am | 4:30 am | 10:00 am |
| ODIs (Cricinfo listing) | 9:30 am | 4:30 am | 10:00 am |
One warning on the ODIs. Cricinfo shows a 9:30 am start, while some other sites list 2:00 pm for the tri-series games.
Both cannot be right. Check the Pakistan Cricket Board announcement closer to each match before you set an alarm.
Where Each Venue Fits In
Only three grounds host cricket on this tour. Rawalpindi does the heaviest lifting, and Lahore closes the series.
- Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium: all three T20Is, the first three tri-series games, and the first Test (seven matches)
- Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: three tri-series league games, the final, and the second Test (five matches)
- Islamabad: the three-day warm-up (one match)
That is thirteen scheduled matches in total, counting the warm-up. Sri Lanka plays ten of them, or eleven if the team reaches the final.
Fans planning travel should note the pattern. If you want a taste of every format, Rawalpindi is the only city that offers a T20I, an ODI, and a Test.
Rest Days and Travel Gaps
Gaps decide how fresh a team looks. Here are the breaks between each phase.
- 14 to 17 October: four free days after the T20Is
- 23 and 24 October: the move from Rawalpindi to Lahore
- 1 to 3 November: three free days before the warm-up
- 7 and 8 November: two days before the first Test
- 14 to 16 November: three days between the Tests
The shortest turnaround is the one before the first Test. Two days is thin if the warm-up runs a full three days.
Expect Sri Lanka to rotate its bowlers on those dates. A tired attack in the second Test would hurt more than a quiet net session.
What to Watch in Each Phase
A schedule is only a list until you know what to look for. Here is my read on each block of the tour.
T20I series
Short series reward quick starts. The side that wins the first game at Rawalpindi will carry real momentum into the next two nights.
Tri-series
Four league games per team mean one loss will not end a campaign. Two losses probably will, since only two of the three teams reach the final.
That is why the clash between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on 18 October matters more than a first game normally would.
Warm-up and Tests
The three-day match is a quiet one, but selectors read it closely. A bowler who takes wickets in Islamabad often earns a place in Rawalpindi.
Once the Tests begin, the tour changes tone. Patience, not power, takes over, and the World Test Championship points make every session count.
Key Takeaways
- Tour dates: 9 October to 21 November 2026
- First match: 1st T20I, Rawalpindi, 9 October at 8:00 pm PKT
- Tri-series: 18 to 31 October, final at Gaddafi Stadium on 31 October
- Warm-up: 4 to 6 November in Islamabad
- Test series: Rawalpindi from 9 November, Lahore from 17 November
- Timing check: ODI start times differ between sources, so confirm with the PCB
FAQs
How many matches does Sri Lanka play on this tour?
Sri Lanka plays three T20Is, four tri-series league games, one warm-up, and two Tests, plus the final if it qualifies.
Where are the T20Is played?
All three T20Is are at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
When is the first Test?
The first Test starts on Monday, 9 November in Rawalpindi.
Which venue hosts the tri-series final?
The final is on Saturday, 31 October at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Do the Tests count in the World Test Championship?
Yes, both Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
Conclusion
The Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2026 offers a full cricket menu in about six weeks. It moves from T20Is to a tri-series, then settles into two Tests.
Mark 9 October, 18 October, 9 November, and 17 November as the key dates. Those four days open each phase of the schedule.
