Pakistan to host Sri Lanka [Source: AFP]The Pakistan cricket team will be hosting Sri Lanka later this year in a series of three T20Is and two Test matches. All five matches will be played between October 9 and November 21.It is worth noting that the two Tests will also constitute a part of the ongoing 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.Pakistan to host Sri Lanka in T20I, Test seriesThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled the entire schedule of the Pakistan cricket team for their international home season later this year. Shortly after announcing an ODI tri-series with England and Sri Lanka, the ‘Men in Green’ will also host the latter of the two teams for three T20Is and two Tests. Also Read- Stuart Broad Brutally Disrespects Pakistan Cricket, Predicts Total Annihilation vs EnglandWhile the T20I series will be hosted by Rawalpindi, the iconic venue will also host the series-opening first Test before the action shifts to Lahore for the decider. Here is a look at the entire schedule of Sri Lanka’s upcoming multi-format tour of Pakistan.Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan 2026 schedule:1st T20I - October 9 - Rawalpindi2nd T20I - October 11 - Rawalpindi3rd T20I - October 13 - Rawalpindi1st Test - November 9 to November 13 - Rawalpindi2nd Test - November 17 to November 21 - LahoreSri Lanka’s T20I and Test series to sandwich Pakistan’s ODI tri-series with EnglandApart from playing a T20I and Test series in Pakistan, the Sri Lanka cricket team is also lined up to play an ODI tri-series with the hosts, with England serving as the third side.The ODI tri-series will be played between October 18 and November 1 across Rawalpindi and Lahore. Each team will face each other twice in a double round-robin format, and the top two sides will reach the final on November 1. The upcoming tri-series also signifies that the PCB remains one of the few boards that is keeping the tri-nation format alive in international cricket of late, even as calls continue to grow among fans and experts for tri-series to be normalized and featured more regularly on the international calendar. Just last year, Pakistan hosted New Zealand and South Africa for an ODI tri-series before the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy; and hosted Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe later in the year for a T20I tri-series.What happened the last time Sri Lanka toured Pakistan?The series will mark Sri Lanka’s return to Pakistan after a gap of nearly a year. Back in November 2025, Sri Lanka took on Pakistan in a three-match ODI series in Rawalpindi, losing it by a 0-3 margin. Sri Lanka also faced Pakistan in a T20I tri-series with Zimbabwe, where the hosts emerged as winners after a one-sided final in Rawalpindi.Significance of Tests in current WTC cycle for Pakistan and Sri LankaThe Test segment of Sri Lanka’s upcoming multi-format tour of Pakistan will hold much significance for the visitors, with respect to the 2025-27 WTC cycle. For starters, the Sri Lanka cricket team is currently struggling at number six on the nine-team WTC 2025-27 points table. Moreover, after their huge defeat to India in Galle, Sri Lanka’s PCT dropped from 41.67 to 33.33.Pakistan, meanwhile, is languishing at number eighth position with a dismal PCT of 22.22. With Sri Lanka still in with an outside chance of qualifying for the final, it will be imperative for the visitors to make the most of their Pakistan tour.Also Read- Heavy Rain Interrupts PAK vs ENG 1st Test At Headingley; Check Leeds Weather Update
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