Sri Lanka tour Pakistan this month for a long white-ball and red-ball trip, and it opens with three T20Is at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 9, 11 and 13 October 2026. The two teams met in the men's T20 competition at the Asian Games a few days ago, where Pakistan took silver and Sri Lanka took bronze, so both squads are coming off a run of recent T20 cricket.
Every match in the series is live on CricketDream. Build a free Fantasy XI, run a snake draft with friends or set up a predictor game before the first ball. This guide has the schedule in IST, both squads, the captaincy options and a suggested XI.
PAK vs SL T20I series 2026: full schedule and timings
The T20Is are the first leg of the tour. A three-team ODI tri-series with England follows from 18 October, and two Tests are scheduled for November in Rawalpindi and Lahore. This guide covers the T20I series only.
Pakistan T20I squad: Sahibzada Farhan (c)
Pakistan named a 15-man squad on 5 October with Sahibzada Farhan as captain. The squad mixes experience in Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan with young players such as Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat and the quick Razaullah. Khawaja Nafay is the specialist wicketkeeper in the group. Hasan Nawaz is the batter to watch: he made 96 off 51 balls, with seven sixes, in the Asian Games final against India last weekend.
Sri Lanka T20I squad: Kusal Mendis (c)
Kusal Mendis captains Sri Lanka and keeps wicket, with Lahiru Udara as the backup keeper. Kamil Mishara and young Sineth Jayawardena give the top order a left-handed core, and Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka and Chamindu Wickramasinghe cover the allrounder spots. Dushmantha Chameera is in the squad but subject to a fitness clearance, so check the confirmed XI before you pick him.
Recent form: the Asian Games men's T20 competition
Both sides played the Asian Games men's T20 event in Japan in the last two weeks. Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 1 run in a rain-reduced semi-final and then lost the final to India by 19 runs, chasing 212 and finishing on 192 for 6, with Hasan Nawaz's 96 the standout innings. Sri Lanka lost their semi-final to India by 124 runs, bowled out for 45, and then beat Bangladesh by 63 runs in the bronze medal match. That is a rough semi-final for Sri Lanka and a strong tournament for Pakistan's top order.
Full details of that tournament are in our Asian Games men's cricket hub. The takeaway for fantasy is simple: Pakistan's batters arrive in form and playing at home, while Sri Lanka are coming off a heavy semi-final defeat.
Best fantasy picks for PAK vs SL
- Hasan Nawaz (PAK, BAT): 96 off 51 in the Asian Games final and a clear top-three role. A strong captain or vice-captain option at home.
- Sahibzada Farhan (PAK, BAT): captain and a top-order batter who will face the new ball. He is likely to face the new ball.
- Saim Ayub (PAK, AR): bats high and bowls off-spin, so he scores with both. One of the safest allrounder picks on either side.
- Shadab Khan (PAK, AR): leg-spin, lower-order hitting and the experience to handle the middle overs. Good value if he gets a full four overs.
- Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Moqim (PAK, BOWL): two wrist spinners in the squad. They tend to pick up wickets in the middle overs.
- Kusal Mendis (SL, WK): captain, keeper and opener or number three. The default wicketkeeper pick for Sri Lanka.
- Kamindu Mendis (SL, AR): bats in the top six and bowls both off-spin and left-arm spin. A reliable allrounder who most fantasy players will own.
- Differential: Dunith Wellalage (SL, BOWL) is a left-arm spinner who bowls through the middle overs, usually at low ownership.
These are night matches under lights in Rawalpindi, and dew can help the chasing side later in the evening. Check the toss on each match page before the team lock. If a captain chooses to bowl, give extra weight to the top-order batters on the side chasing.
Suggested Fantasy XI for the 1st T20I
- Wicketkeeper: Kusal Mendis
- Batters: Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Kamil Mishara
- Allrounders: Saim Ayub (C), Kamindu Mendis (VC), Shadab Khan
- Bowlers: Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Maheesh Theekshana, Sufyan Moqim
- Swap Chameera in for Moqim only once he is confirmed fit and named in the XI.
PAK vs SL prediction
Pakistan are favourites at home. They have the in-form top order, more spin depth and the crowd. Sri Lanka's best route is an early wicket or two from Thushara and Fernando, then their spinners squeezing the middle overs. A 2-1 Pakistan series win is the most likely result, but Sri Lanka can win any single match if Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis both fire. Lock in your own call with a free CricketDream Predictor game before each match.
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Build your free Fantasy XI for the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 1st T20I.
Build Fantasy XIFrequently asked questions
When is the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka T20I series in 2026?
The three T20Is are on Friday 9 October, Sunday 11 October and Tuesday 13 October 2026. All three start at 8:30 PM Pakistan time, which is 9:00 PM IST.
Where are the PAK vs SL T20Is being played?
All three matches are at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
Who is captaining Pakistan and Sri Lanka?
Sahibzada Farhan captains Pakistan. Kusal Mendis captains Sri Lanka and also keeps wicket.
Is Dushmantha Chameera fit for the series?
Chameera is in the squad but his selection is subject to a fitness clearance. Check the confirmed XI on each CricketDream match page before you pick him.
Who is the best captain pick for PAK vs SL fantasy?
Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz are the most popular Pakistan options because they both bat in the top order, and Ayub also bowls. For Sri Lanka, Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis are the safest choices. The right pick often depends on who bats first, so check the toss.
What else is on this tour?
After the T20Is there is a three-team ODI tri-series with England from 18 October, and two Tests in November. The ODI tri-series is already live on CricketDream as its own series.
Is CricketDream fantasy free to play?
Yes. Fantasy XI, Draft, Multi-Draft, Predictor, Cricket Quiz and CricketQuest are all completely free, with no entry fees and no cash prizes. It is skill-based cricket for fun and bragging rights with friends.
Where can I watch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka?
Check your local broadcaster or the PCB and Cricinfo match pages for the official streaming partner in your country. CricketDream is not a broadcaster: follow live scores, playing XIs and fantasy points on each match page.