The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shifted the second Test between the two sides from Lahore to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium due to severe seasonal smog in the provincial capital. Notably, the second and final match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will retain its original dates, November 17 to 21, 2026.
The two teams are already in Rawalpindi for the series opener. Notably, the match began on Monday (November 9), and the hosts declared their first innings at a total of 434-9, with Saud Shakeel scoring 93 runs off 199 balls. They will not need to travel between cities after the first match.
The PCB announced the venue change on Tuesday, November 10, citing worsening air quality in Lahore as the reason for the decision. According to IQAir, a Swiss air-quality monitoring company, Lahore had the worst air quality among cities worldwide at the time.
The PCB confirmed the decision in an official statement, which read:
"The second Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, originally scheduled to be played in Lahore from November 17 to 21, has been relocated to Rawalpindi due to prevailing weather conditions.
A spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the decision was taken in view of increasing smog levels in Lahore, prompting the relocation of the second Test to Rawalpindi."
Broadcasters had also reportedly raised concerns about the quality of television coverage if the match went ahead in Lahore under heavy smog. As the air quality deteriorated earlier in the week, production teams were advised not to make travel arrangements to the city.
Lahore Loses First Late-Season International Match Since 2007
The relocation is a setback to the PCB's efforts to extend Lahore's cricketing season and host international fixtures in early autumn. Had the second Test gone ahead at Gaddafi Stadium, it would have been the city's first international match held after November 1 since 2007.
This is not the first time poor air quality has disrupted the country's cricket schedule. In November 2020, the PCB moved a white-ball series between the hosts and Zimbabwe from Lahore to Rawalpindi due to similar concerns. A Test against New Zealand was also shifted from Multan to Karachi in December 2022.
New Delhi has faced similar disruptions during the winter months, with domestic matches and international fixtures moved outside the capital because of pollution and visibility concerns.
Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam Lead Hosts to 434/9 in Ongoing Rawalpindi Test
Meanwhile, in the ongoing first Test, Pakistan posted 434/9 declared at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after Sri Lanka put them in to bat. Saud Shakeel scored 93 off 199 deliveries, including nine boundaries.
Tayyab Arif scored 57 off 51 balls, while Mohammad Taha contributed 51 off 105 deliveries. Captain Babar Azam added 50 off 58 balls, and Arafat Minhas chipped in with 52 off 72 deliveries.
Asitha Fernando and Dilshan Madushanka were Sri Lanka's leading wicket-takers, claiming three wickets each for 107 and 108 runs, respectively. In reply, Sri Lanka reached 114/3 by the end of the second day. Kamindu Mendis remained unbeaten on 40, while Dhananjaya de Silva was not out on 22.
Also read: Babar Azam equals Misbah-ul-Haq’s Pakistan captaincy record during 1st Test against Sri Lanka
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