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Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in a three-match T20I series in January, with both boards reportedly finalising the schedule as part of their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The series is expected to be played from January 8 to 12, with all three matches scheduled at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.
The upcoming World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan set to play all their matches on Sri Lankan soil under the Hybrid Model.
This arrangement ensures that Pakistan and India do not tour each other during ICC events and instead compete at neutral venues.
Sources close to the development have revealed that officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) were in constant discussions over the short series, which has now reportedly been confirmed.
The series will provide Pakistan crucial match practice in local conditions just weeks ahead of the global event, allowing the team to fine-tune combinations and acclimatise to pitches similar to those they will encounter during the World Cup.
The decision to stage all three matches in Dambulla has been taken due to ongoing upgradation work at both the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in preparation for the mega event.
Due to similar reasons, SLC was also forced to postpone the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which was originally scheduled for the November-December window.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are currently touring Pakistan for the ongoing T20I tri-series, where they are engaged in a tight qualification race for the final.
Pakistan have already secured their place in the final, while Sri Lanka must win their final group match by a big margin to stay alive in the competition.
Zimbabwe currently sit second on the points table with one win from four games and a net run rate of -0.522, while Sri Lanka remain third with a net run rate of -1.324.
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