RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Sri Lanka Test series November 2026 begins in Rawalpindi on 9 November, and the home side is set to add four more players to its squad before the first ball. Fast bowlers Ubaid Shah, Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan are expected to join the team, along with batter Tayyab Arif. The additions come after Sri Lanka won the three day warm up game in Islamabad. The first Test runs from 9 to 13 November at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The Ubaid Shah Ali Shabbir Saqib Khan Tayyab Arif additions are reported by sources, and they have not yet been confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The board said after the warm up that two fast bowlers would be added to the squad, but the names reported now go further, with three fast bowlers and one batter. Readers should treat the four names as expected additions until the board announces the final squad. The warm up itself gave the selectors a last look at the candidates under match conditions.
Sri Lanka beat PCB Patrons XI 143 runs in the warm up, which was played at the Islamabad Club from 4 to 6 November. The tourists won the three day game with a clear margin, and the result will give them confidence before the first Test. Saad Baig captained the Patrons XI, and seven members of the Pakistan Test squad played in the side. The game was the last match practice for both teams before the series, and it showed that Sri Lanka have settled quickly in Pakistani conditions.
The first Test Rawalpindi November 9 13 fixture is the opening match of a two Test series. The second Test will be played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from 17 to 21 November. Both matches count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, so points are at stake for both sides. Play is reported to start at 9.30am Pakistan time each day, and tickets for the Rawalpindi Test have been priced from Rs200. The short gap between the warm up and the first Test leaves little time for rest.
Babar Azam captain Pakistan Test squad is the headline of the selection. The board named a 14 member squad on 24 October, with Babar Azam as captain. Three uncapped batters earned their first Test call ups in Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Suleman. Former captain Shan Masood was dropped from the squad, and Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were not included. Salman Ali Agha and Ali Usman returned to the side after being dropped during the tour of England in August.
The World Test Championship 2025 27 Pakistan position makes this series important for the home side. Pakistan sit at the bottom of the standings with a points percentage of 4.63, while Sri Lanka are seventh with 33.33 per cent. Both teams need wins to climb the table, and a home series is the best chance Pakistan have to do that. A series win would also give confidence to a young squad that has lost six of its last seven Tests, according to reports.
Sri Lanka will be led by Kusal Mendis, who captains the side in Tests for the first time. He took over from Dhananjaya de Silva, who remains in the squad with Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka. Opener Pathum Nissanka has been ruled out of the series with a hamstring injury, and Lahiru Udara replaces him. Fast bowler Eshan Malinga and wicketkeeper Anjala Bandara have earned call ups, with Malinga subject to a fitness clearance.
Reports say the home side has asked for pace friendly pitches for both Tests. Head coach Mike Hesson is said to have told the ground staff to prepare fast tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore. That plan comes from press reports, not from a board announcement, so it should be read as the likely direction rather than a confirmed fact. A fast pitch would suit the new fast bowlers, and it would also test the young batters against Sri Lanka pace attack. The opening pair is also set to change, with Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal named as the leading contenders.
The first Test will show whether the rebuild is working. Pakistan have a new look squad, a young opening pair and fresh fast bowlers waiting for a chance. Sri Lanka arrive with a win in the warm up and a settled side, and they will not be easy to beat at home. For fans in Rawalpindi, the match brings Test cricket back to the city after a long break, and the Rs200 tickets put the game within reach of many families. The toss on Monday morning will set the tone for the series.
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