The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has moved the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka from Lahore to Rawalpindi because of worsening smog in the Punjab capital, with both matches of the series now set to be played at the same ground.
The board announced the change on Tuesday, confirming that the match, originally scheduled for Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from 17 to 21 November, will now be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on the same dates. Only the venue has changed; the schedule remains untouched.
PCB spokesperson Amir Mir confirmed the decision, saying the match had been relocated due to prevailing weather conditions, in view of rising smog levels and deteriorating air quality in Lahore. The city has been covered by thick seasonal smog for more than a week, a recurring problem in parts of Pakistan and northern India between October and December.
Reports said Lahore’s air quality index had touched 421, a level classified as hazardous, and the city had ranked among the most polluted in the world at the time of the announcement. The board said the move was made to minimise the possible impact of the poor air on the match, the players and the spectators.
The first Test of the two-match series began at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 9 November, and the second will now follow at the same venue. Both matches are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, so the points on offer matter to both sides as they try to climb the standings.
For Lahore’s cricket fans, the decision is a disappointment. The city was due to host its first Test of the season, and the Gaddafi Stadium has been a regular home venue for Pakistan. The PCB will hope the change is a one-off, but the smog season now regularly overlaps with the home calendar, and boards and organisers are having to plan around it.
Meanwhile, the PCB has announced ticket prices for the relocated second Test. Tickets will go on sale at designated TCS Express Centres across the country from 3pm on Thursday, 12 November. Entry will cost PKR 200 per day for all enclosures, including the VIP enclosure, for each of the five days.
Tickets for the PCB Gallery, located in the stadium’s main building, will be available at PKR 800 per person per day, while the Platinum Box will cost PKR 8,000 per person per day throughout the five-day Test.
With both teams already in Rawalpindi for the series opener, the shift avoids further travel and keeps the series on track. The focus now returns to the cricket, with the second Test starting on 17 November and both sides looking to take valuable championship points from a series played entirely at one venue.