The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test series begins on Monday, November 9, when the first of two Tests is played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, with the first ball scheduled for 9.30am PKT. Babar Azam leads the home side, and the matches are part of the ICC (International Cricket Council) World Test Championship, so the result carries weight in that competition. Pakistan go into the series on the back of their white-ball form, which covers the shorter T20 and one-day formats: the T20I series was won 2-1 and the ODI tri-nation series was also taken.
The second Test will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from November 17 to 21. Sri Lanka's all-format tour began on October 9, and they opened the red-ball leg by beating the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) Patron's XI by 142 runs in a three-day practice match. Nine members of Pakistan's Test squad also played in that PCB side, so several players have already been in action against the visitors.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- July 2023: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 2-0 in their last Test meeting, winning the Galle Test by four wickets and the Colombo (SSC) Test by an innings and 222 runs.
- October 9: Sri Lanka's all-format tour of Pakistan began.
- November 8: Both squads had held one full training session each ahead of the first Test.
- November 9: First Test scheduled at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, first ball at 9.30am PKT.
- November 17 to 21: Second Test scheduled at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Squad and captains
Pakistan's 16-member Test squad includes eight uncapped players, meaning they have not yet played a Test for the country. The fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan are in the squad, Mohammad Abbas will lead the pace attack, and Aamir Jamal has been called up after strong domestic performances. Spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas and batters including Mohammad Suleman and Saad Baig are also included.
Babar, who is on the verge of 5,000 Test runs, is one of the senior batters in the group. Azan Awais is set to play his first home Test after seven matches in the format, while wicketkeeper Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and Razaullah made their Test debuts in Pakistan's most recent red-ball match. Babar said the squad is fully focused on the two-match series.
For Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis begins his tenure as Test captain, and Rawalpindi will be his first match in charge. He has previously led Sri Lanka in six T20Is and 27 ODIs.
Head-to-head record
In 59 Test matches between the two sides, Pakistan have won 23, Sri Lanka 17, and 19 have ended in a draw. Since 1982, Pakistan have won 10 bilateral (two-team) Test series, while Sri Lanka have won six, the most recent of those in 2017. Salman Ali Agha was player of the series when Pakistan last faced Sri Lanka in a Test series in 2023, and he is in the squad again for this series.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan aur Sri Lanka ke darmiyan do match ki Test series Monday, 9 November ko Rawalpindi mein shuru ho rahi hai, aur pehla match subah 9 baje 30 minute par shuru hoga. Doosra Test 17 se 21 November tak Lahore ke Gaddafi Stadium mein khela jayega. Pakistan ki team white-ball mein jeet ke baad Test cricket mein bhi achi shuruaat chahti hai. Agar aap match dekhna chahte hain to apna waqt pehle se tay kar len.
