Sri Lanka to host Pakistan for T20I series before T20 World Cup 2026

Sri Lanka will host Pakistan for a three-match T20I series in January 2026 at Dambulla ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup. The series will help both teams prepare, with Pakistan set to play all World Cup matches in Sri Lanka

New Delhi: Sri Lanka Cricket announced that the team will host Pakistan for a three-match T20I series in January 2026 in the build-up to the Men’s T20 World Cup, which is scheduled from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.

The Lankan Lions will face Pakistan on January 7 in the first T20I at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS) in Dambulla, followed by two more games on January 9 and 11 at the same venue to conclude the series.

---

The bilateral contest will provide both teams with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the conditions for the marquee tournament. While Sri Lanka, as co-hosts, will play their group-stage matches at home, the Men in Green will play all their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.

“Sri Lanka Cricket announced that the Pakistan National Team will tour Sri Lanka in January 2026 to play a three-match T20I series. All matches will be played at the RDICS in Dambulla,” the board said on Instagram while announcing the fixtures.

The PCB, meanwhile, said in a statement, “The tour will provide the side with valuable match practice ahead of next year’s global event.”

Pakistan have shown strong form in recent T20I cricket. Following a convincing 2-1 series win against South Africa, the Men in Green defeated Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe to win the T20I tri-series.

They are placed in Group A with Namibia, the United States, the Netherlands and arch-rivals India, beginning their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7. If they reach the semifinal and final, those matches will also be staged in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, recently finished a three-week tour of Pakistan, during which they played three ODIs and participated in a tri-series that also included Zimbabwe.