Pakistan will kick off their preparations for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a crucial three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka in early January.
This short tour marks the Salman Agha-led side’s first white-ball assignment of the new year, emphasizing the PCB’s strategy of heavily prioritizing T20I cricket leading up to the global event.
The entire series will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, providing Pakistan with valuable match practice in conditions identical to those they will face during the World Cup.
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The fixtures are scheduled for January 7, 9, and 11. This familiarity is vital, as Pakistan will play all their World Cup group fixtures—against India, Namibia, Netherlands, and the United States—in Sri Lanka, specifically in Colombo, starting February 7.
The rigorous schedule over the last six months highlights Pakistan’s aggressive T20I push. Since the conclusion of the PSL in May 2025, the team has navigated a demanding calendar that included home and away series against Bangladesh, a series in the West Indies, two tri-series tournaments, the Asia Cup, and a home series against South Africa.
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They secured victory in nearly all their assignments, bar the away series in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup final loss to India.
This preparatory tour follows Sri Lanka’s recent three-week visit to Pakistan for three ODIs and a tri-series, which also featured Zimbabwe.
Following the Sri Lanka T20Is, Pakistan will return home for another significant three-match T20I series against Australia in the final week of January, before heading back to the island nation for the T20I World Cup itself.