Pakistan to host Tri-Series T20 Matches involving Afghanistan and Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will host a tri-series of T20 matches featuring teams from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka for the first time in the country. The series is set to begin on November 17 and will run until November 29. This series is organized as preparation for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled for next year, with the tournament taking place in India and Sri Lanka in 2026. The tri-series will kick off on November 17 with a match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This will mark Afghanistan’s first T20 match in Pakistan, having previously played five One Day Internationals (ODIs) in the country, the last of which was against Australia during the ICC Champions Trophy in February of this year. On November 19, Sri Lanka will face Afghanistan at the Rawalpindi Stadium, while the remaining five T20 matches, including the final, will take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Additionally, Pakistan will host South Africa for two Test matches in October/November, as part of the 2025–27 World Test Championship, along with three T20 and three ODI matches from October 12 to November 8. The PCB stated: “We are looking forward to hosting the first tri-series T20 series with Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. These matches will not only serve as excellent preparation for next year’s World Cup but will also provide exciting cricket for fans. This year, we successfully hosted the ICC Champions Trophy and the Women’s World Cup qualifiers, demonstrating our capability and readiness to continuously host high-level international competitions.”