Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Tests Start at 9:30 am PKT on 9 and 17 November 2026
Both Pakistan v Sri Lanka Tests start at 9:30 am PKT: Rawalpindi from 9 November, Lahore from 17 November 2026. See the dates, ICC rules and UK start time.
Short answer: Both Pakistan v Sri Lanka Tests start at 9:30 am Pakistan time. The 1st Test begins on Monday 9 November 2026 in Rawalpindi and ends on 13 November if it goes five days. The 2nd Test begins on Tuesday 17 November at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, and ends on 21 November.
Test cricket is slow to plan for. A fan has to take five days off, or decide which day to attend. The start time matters, because a 9:30 am start means leaving home early on a working day.
We read the series schedule on a public scorecard service on 14 October 2026. It lists both Tests with a local start of 9:30 am, or 4:30 am GMT. The PCB's own site was behind a bot check, so treat the time as reported until the PCB match centre shows it.
Both Tests start at 9:30 am PKT and run five days
The 1st Test is listed for 9 to 13 November at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The 2nd Test is listed for 17 to 21 November at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Each has a local start of 9:30 am. A Test is scheduled for up to five days.
The dates match the series page we published earlier. The new detail is the start time, which our earlier page marked as not confirmed. A Test can end early, so the last day on the table is the latest possible day.
| Test | First day | Latest last day | Ground | Start (PKT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Monday 9 November | Friday 13 November | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | 9:30 am |
| 2nd Test | Tuesday 17 November | Saturday 21 November | Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore | 9:30 am |
The start is 4:30 am GMT and 8:30 am in the UAE
A 9:30 am start in Pakistan is 4:30 am GMT. Britain goes back to GMT on 25 October, so by November the UK start is 4:30 am. In the UAE the start is 8:30 am, and in Saudi Arabia it is 7:30 am.
Pakistan does not change its clocks, so the gap with Britain is five hours in November. It was four hours in the summer. If you follow the Tests from abroad, set your alarm for the right clock.
- Start from 9:30 am Pakistan time.
- Take away 5 hours for GMT and UK winter time: 4:30 am.
- Take away 1 hour for the UAE: 8:30 am.
- Take away 2 hours for Saudi Arabia: 7:30 am.
Sri Lanka have named a squad with Kusal Mendis as captain
Sri Lanka named a 15-man Test squad on 13 October 2026. Kusal Mendis leads the side after Dhananjaya de Silva stepped down, and opener Pathum Nissanka needs to pass a fitness test before the first game. Eshan Malinga and Anjala Bandara earned first call-ups.
We have the full list and the fitness doubt in our report on the Sri Lanka Test squad for the Pakistan tour. The captain change is explained in the story of Kusal Mendis taking over as Test captain.
We did not find a Pakistan Test squad for this series on the pages we read on 14 October. The PCB usually names its squad close to the series, but that is our expectation and not a PCB notice.
The rules for the two Tests are the standard ICC ones
The series is part of the World Test Championship 2025-27. Each day is scheduled for 90 overs, a follow-on can be enforced at a 200-run lead, and each side has three reviews. Our rules page explains each of these in plain words.
The full list is in Test cricket rules for Pakistan v Sri Lanka. Where players stand before the series is covered in where Pakistan's Test players stand in the ICC rankings.
Dates, venues and tickets are on the main series page
This page gives you the start time only. Umpires, ticket price bands and the venues are on the series page. The ticket sale date had not been announced when we last checked.
The full series page is Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test series: dates, venues, umpires and tickets. If you plan to buy in cash, the process is in the page on buying PCB tickets at a TCS Express Centre.
Common questions
What time does the Pakistan v Sri Lanka Test start?
9:30 am Pakistan time on each day, according to the schedule we read. The first ball on day one is the 9:30 am start.
When is the 1st Test?
It starts on Monday 9 November 2026 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and can run to Friday 13 November.
When is the 2nd Test?
It starts on Tuesday 17 November at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and can run to Saturday 21 November.
Is the Test played under lights?
The schedule lists no day-night label for the Tests, unlike the ODIs. We have no PCB notice that says lights will be used.
Who captains Sri Lanka in the Tests?
Kusal Mendis, who took over from Dhananjaya de Silva.
Has Pakistan named its Test squad?
We did not find a Pakistan squad for this series on the pages we read on 14 October 2026.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Sri Lanka in Pakistan 2026-27 schedule on a public scorecard service, which lists the two Tests with dates, venues and a 9:30 am local start. The PCB's own website at pcb.com.pk returned a bot check, so we could not compare it. Time conversions are our arithmetic. Squad facts come from a squad announcement we covered earlier. We did not confirm ticket sale dates or any broadcaster.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
