Sri Lanka vs PCB Patron's XI Warm-Up in Islamabad From 4 November: Both Squads, Nissanka Out, Udara In
Sri Lanka play the PCB Patron's XI at the Islamabad Club from 4 to 6 November. See both squads, why Nissanka is out, and the five pacers chasing Test places.
Sri Lanka's Test squad plays a three-day warm-up against the PCB Patron's XI at the Islamabad Club from Wednesday 4 to Friday 6 November 2026. Saad Baig captains the Patron's XI. Sri Lanka arrive without opener Pathum Nissanka, who has been ruled out of the Test series with a hamstring injury and replaced by Lahiru Udara. Two Patron's XI fast bowlers will join Pakistan's Test squad after this game.
We read the PCB squad release and Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) own updates on their websites. Below are both squads, the change to the Sri Lanka side, the five pacers trying for two Test places, and the dates of the Tests that follow in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Saad Baig leads a 13-player Patron's XI
Saad Baig, the wicketkeeper-batter, captains the PCB Patron's XI. Six of the 13 players are also in Pakistan's Test squad. The other seven include five fast bowlers who are trying to earn two Test places.
| Player | Also in the Test squad? |
|---|---|
| Saad Baig (captain, wk) | Yes |
| Abdullah Fazal | Yes |
| Ali Usman | Yes |
| Azan Awais | Yes |
| Mohammad Suleman | Yes, uncapped |
| Mohammad Taha | Yes, uncapped |
| Sameer Minhas | Yes, uncapped |
| Mohammad Tayyab Arif | No, batter |
| Mohammad Salman | No, fast bowler |
| Shoaib Akhtar Jnr | No, fast bowler |
| Ali Shabbir | No, fast bowler |
| Saqib Khan | No, fast bowler |
| Ubaid Shah | No, fast bowler |
The three uncapped batters, Taha, Suleman and Sameer, get a first look at Sri Lanka's Test attack here. Taha topped the President's Trophy Grade-I run chart with 730 runs, the PCB says. More on all three is in our page on the Pakistan Test squad vs Sri Lanka.
Five pacers are trying for two Test places
The PCB will add two fast bowlers from the Patron's XI to the Test squad after the match ends on 6 November. The five candidates are Mohammad Salman, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Ubaid Shah. That will take Pakistan's squad from 14 to 16.
Several of them are also on domestic rosters for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which started on 3 November. In the PCB's rosters:
- Shoaib Akhtar Jnr is in the Sialkot Blues reserves and national duty pool.
- Saqib Khan is in the Karachi Blues national duty pool.
- Ali Shabbir is listed as an Under-21 player for Bahawalpur in the Silver tier.
- Mohammad Tayyab Arif is vice-captain of Sialkot Blues.
The PCB has not said how it will choose the two pacers. Wickets in this match will matter, but the selectors have not set any rule. Every regional squad is in our list of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2026-27 squads.
Nissanka is out of the Tests and Lahiru Udara is in
SLC said on 27 October that Pathum Nissanka will miss the two-Test series because he has not fully recovered from a hamstring injury in his left leg. Lahiru Udara replaces him. Udara was already in Pakistan with Sri Lanka's one-day squad.
SLC's first squad, named on 13 October, said Nissanka would travel only if declared medically fit. He had also missed the T20I series and the ODI tri-series, SLC said. Here is Sri Lanka's updated 15 for the Tests:
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Captain | Kusal Mendis |
| Batters | Lahiru Udara (replaces Pathum Nissanka), Pasindu Sooriyabandara, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha, Dhananjaya de Silva |
| Spinners | Anjala Bandara, Prabath Jayasuriya |
| Fast bowlers | Keshara Nuwantha, Milan Rathnayaka, Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka, Eshan Malinga |
The role labels are ours, not SLC's. Its release lists the 15 names without roles. Our earlier page on the Sri Lanka Test squad for the Pakistan tour has the original list from 13 October.
Warm-up and Test dates
The warm-up runs from 4 to 6 November at the Islamabad Club. The first Test is at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 9 to 13 November and the second at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from 17 to 21 November. Both Tests count for the ICC World Test Championship.
- 4 to 6 November: PCB Patron's XI v Sri Lanka, Islamabad Club.
- After 6 November: PCB adds two pacers to the Test squad.
- 9 to 13 November: first Test, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
- 17 to 21 November: second Test, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
The PCB release does not give a start time for the warm-up or say if it will be streamed. Test start times and tickets are in our guides to the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test series and the 1st Test tickets in Rawalpindi.
Common questions
Who is the captain of the PCB Patron's XI against Sri Lanka?
Saad Baig, the wicketkeeper-batter. He is also in Pakistan's Test squad.
Where is the Sri Lanka warm-up match being played?
At the Islamabad Club, from 4 to 6 November 2026. It is a three-day match.
Is Pathum Nissanka playing the Pakistan Tests?
No. SLC ruled him out on 27 October with a hamstring injury. Lahiru Udara replaces him.
Which pacers could join Pakistan's Test squad?
Two of Mohammad Salman, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Ubaid Shah, picked after 6 November.
When does the first Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test start?
On 9 November 2026 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Is Babar Azam playing in the warm-up?
No. He is not in the Patron's XI. He was named in Lahore Whites' squad for the first round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read the PCB release "Pakistan Test squad announced for upcoming two-match WTC series against Sri Lanka", dated Lahore, 24 October 2026, on the PCB website on 4 November 2026. Sri Lanka's squad is from SLC's media release of 13 October 2026, and the Nissanka change is from SLC's Sinhala-language update of 27 October 2026 on the same site, which we translated. Domestic roster details are from the PCB release of 2 November. No warm-up start time or stream was published when we checked.
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.
