The second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been shifted from Lahore to Rawalpindi due to prevailing weather conditions, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced. The match will take place from November 17 to 21, with the original schedule remaining unchanged.
The decision comes as Lahore continues to experience severe seasonal smog, resulting in hazardous air quality across the city. According to IQAir, Lahore ranked among the world’s most polluted cities on November 10, with its air quality frequently competing with Delhi for the worst global ranking in recent days.
Concerns over broadcast conditions also played a role in the relocation. Broadcasters had reportedly expressed reservations about the quality of television coverage in Lahore if the match went ahead under heavy smog. They were advised earlier in the week not to make travel arrangements to Lahore as the PCB considered moving the fixture.
The relocation is a setback for the PCB’s plans to extend Lahore’s international cricket season into early autumn. Had the match gone ahead at Gaddafi Stadium, it would have marked the first international fixture in Lahore after November 1 since 2007.
This is not the first time air pollution has forced a change to Pakistan’s international cricket schedule. In November 2020, a white-ball series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi because of smog. Similarly, a Test between Pakistan and New Zealand scheduled for Multan in December 2022 was shifted to Karachi due to weather concerns.
The first Test of the ongoing series is currently being played in Rawalpindi. The venue change means the same city will host both matches of the two-Test series, while the second Test will continue on its originally scheduled dates.
