Pakistan begin a two-match home Test series against Sri Lanka at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium today, Monday 9 November 2026, with the first ball at 10:00 AM PKT — and the stakes could hardly be higher for Babar Azam’s side. In the World Test Championship 2025-27, a defeat in this Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test would officially end Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the WTC Final in 2027.
Pakistan come into the series on the back of a 3-0 whitewash against England, a result that badly damaged their standing in the championship. Sri Lanka sit slightly better placed in seventh, but they too need convincing wins from their remaining fixtures to have any chance of breaking into the top two. For both teams, the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test is not just the start of a series — it is a rescue mission.
The second Test of the series will be played in Lahore from 17 to 21 November. Tickets for the Rawalpindi Test have been on sale from Rs 200, and the series trophy was unveiled by the two captains at Rawal Lake ahead of the opener. Tickets and timings for the Rawalpindi Test are covered here.
A must-win Test for Pakistan’s WTC hopes
Pakistan’s recent red-ball form makes grim reading. The hosts have lost four of their last five Tests, and the 3-0 defeat to England left their World Test Championship campaign hanging by a thread. Only a win in Rawalpindi keeps the mathematics alive; a loss, as CricTracker’s preview notes, would officially eliminate Pakistan from the race for the WTC Final.
That pressure falls squarely on captain Babar Azam, who is expected to bat at number three and will be desperate for runs after a disappointing series against England. Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha carry much of the middle-order responsibility, while the experienced Mohammad Abbas leads an attack that has been reshaped by the selectors. For a side that has struggled to close out home Tests, the first session of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test — and the toss that precedes it — could set the tone for the whole series.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, arrive looking to end a winless run in Test cricket. Newly appointed captain Kusal Mendis leads a settled core built around Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis and Dhananjaya de Silva, with left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya expected to be their biggest threat with the ball.
Sri Lanka’s challenge and the Rawalpindi pitch
The Rawalpindi surface has a reputation that should encourage the batters. The pitch is mostly flat, and bowlers get little assistance — four of the last five red-ball matches at the ground were won by the team batting in the fourth innings. Bowlers on both sides will have to force mistakes rather than wait for the pitch to help them.
Rain is forecast for Thursday, which could eat into the middle of the match, but conditions are expected to stay dry on the other four days. With a flat track and a result still needed by both teams, a draw in the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test would suit neither side — expect positive, attacking cricket from the outset rather than a slow grind.
The head-to-head record ahead of the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test favours the hosts. The two sides have met in 59 Tests, with Pakistan winning 23, Sri Lanka winning 17 and 19 drawn. Their most recent meeting came in July 2023, when Pakistan won — a result Babar’s side will want to repeat on home soil.
Squads and possible XIs for the Rawalpindi Test
Pakistan named a refreshed 16-man squad on Saturday, 7 November, adding four players and releasing two. Pace-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal returns, while fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan and batter Muhammad Tayyab Arif all earned maiden Test call-ups. Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal were released from the squad. The three newcomers all featured in the Patron’s XI match against Sri Lanka at the Islamabad Club from 4 to 6 November. Full details of Pakistan’s squad changes are here.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Muhammad Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan, Saud Shakeel.
Sri Lanka squad: Kusal Mendis (captain), Anjala Bandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sonal Dinusha, Asitha Fernando, Prabath Jayasuriya, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga, Kamindu Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayaka, Pasindu Sooriyabandara.
The confirmed playing XIs for the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test will only be announced at the toss, around 09:30 AM PKT. Previews suggest Pakistan could hand debuts to Tayyab Arif and Saqib Khan alongside the returning Aamer Jamal, with Mohammad Abbas leading the pace attack, while Sri Lanka are likely to lean on Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara with the new ball. Whatever XI Pakistan pick, the equation is simple: win in Rawalpindi, and the WTC dream survives; lose, and it is over.
Match details: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test, 9–13 November 2026, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. First ball 10:00 AM PKT. Broadcast and live streaming on the Veto App and website. Second Test: 17–21 November, Lahore.
Sources: ICC — Pakistan update WTC27 series squad against Sri Lanka; CricTracker — Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st Test preview. Squads and pitch details verified from the ICC and CricTracker on 8–9 November 2026; predicted XIs are pre-match previews, not confirmed selections.
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