Pakistan to host Sri Lanka for first bilateral ODI series in 6 years

Pakistan cricket team’s schedule for the rest of the year has gotten busier after the PCB confirmed that the country will host Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI series in November.

All three matches will be played from 11 to 15 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The series marks Sri Lanka’s first bilateral ODI assignment in Pakistan in six years. Their last such visit came in 2019, when Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side clinched a 2–0 win after the Karachi opener was washed out. Since then, the islanders have only featured in multi-nation events on Pakistani soil, most recently during the 2023 Asia Cup, where they faced Afghanistan in Lahore.

The ODI series will roll straight into the tri-nation series featuring Afghanistan alongside Pakistan and Sri Lanka. That tournament is scheduled from 17 to 29 November, with matches split between Rawalpindi and Lahore.

With bilateral ODIs on home soil a rare treat in recent years, Rawalpindi is expected to draw strong crowds as Pakistan look to extend their dominance over their continental neighbours in this format.

The ODI series will also give the team a chance to correct its course as it continues to look for an identity under Mike Hesson.

With South Africa also set to tour before Sri Lanka’s arrival, Pakistan’s year-end calendar is packed—and fans won’t mind one bit. Two series, two cities, and plenty on the line. If Rawalpindi sets the tone and Lahore brings the noise, Pakistan’s home stretch could finish with a flourish.

--Agencies