The Pakistan Cricket Board have taken the decision to move 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka out of Lahore due to smog and poor air quality.
Published: November 11, 2026, 11:33 AM IST
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PCB have shifted 2nd Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test from Lahore to Rawalipindi due to smog(Image: AI)
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2026 2nd Test: India is not the only country suffering due to smog and poor air quality since the start of NovemberJust days after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), decided to shift 1st India vs Sri Lanka ODI match out of New Delhi next month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have been forced to take the same decision in their ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka.
The PCB announced the decision to shift the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, scheduled to take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to Pindi International Stadium in Rawalpindi due to smog and poor air quality in their Capital cityBabar Azam’s Pakistan were scheduled to take on Kusal Mendis-led Sri Lanka in second Test from November 17 to 21.
Pakistan-Sri Lanka second Test shifted to Rawalpindi due to Lahore smog
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The PCB claimed that the decision was take du to ‘prevailing weather conditions’, with severe seasonal smog in Lahore being a major concern in recent daysAccording to Cricinfo website, Lahore had the worst air quality of any city in the world on November 10, trading places with New Delhi for the poorest air quality globally over the last week.
The report also stated that the host broadcasters had also raised concern over the coverage of second Test if they match went ahead in the midst of heavy smog in LahoreIf the second Test had taken place at the Gaddafi Stadium, it would have been the first time since 2007 that an international match would have taken place in Lahore later in the year than November 1.
Pakistan’s Punjab province, especially Lahore, has been facing issues in organsising matches in the city due to air pollutionA white-ball series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, scheduled for Lahore in November 2020, was shifted to Rawalpindi for this same reasonA Test match against New Zealand was also moved from Multan to Karachi in December 2022.
The first Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test match is also currently taking place in Rawalpindi since November 9.
India vs Sri Lanka ODI moved to Visakhapatnam
The BCCI were also forced to shift the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka on December 16 out of Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi to VisakhapatnamWhile the official reason stated by the Indian board was that the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) are unable to host the game due to ongoing work on the relaying the outfield at the venue.
But it is believed that the major concern will be the poor AQI and smog in New Delhi, which has considerably worsened since Diwali on Sunday night.
