Lahore's smog has claimed a Test match. The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Tuesday, 10 November, that the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka has been moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi, with the worsening air quality in the Punjab capital forcing the change. The match keeps its original dates, 17 to 21 November, but will now be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium — the same ground hosting the series opener.

PCB spokesperson Amir Mir announced the decision in a post on X, confirming that the board had acted on the deteriorating conditions in Lahore.

The second Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, originally scheduled to be played in Lahore from November 17 to 21, has been relocated to Rawalpindi due to prevailing weather conditions.

The decision was taken in view of increasing smog levels in Lahore and concerns over deteriorating air quality. It means both Tests of the two-match series will now be played in Rawalpindi, and the two teams will stay put after the first Test rather than travelling to Lahore.

Why Lahore lost the Test

Lahore has been blanketed by thick seasonal smog for the past 10 days, a recurring problem across parts of Pakistan and northern India between October and December. The city's air quality index has reportedly touched 600 in recent days, and according to IQAir, the Swiss air-quality monitoring firm, Lahore is currently the world's most polluted major city.

The PCB had been watching the situation before making the call, and with no improvement in sight, the board decided the Gaddafi Stadium could not host the match as planned. The dates were never in question — only the venue — and Rawalpindi, already set up for the series opener, was the natural alternative.

What changes — and what doesn't

Nothing about the cricket itself changes. The second Test will still be played from 17 to 21 November, still over five days, and still as part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The only difference is the ground: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium instead of Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

For the players, the move removes a mid-series journey. For the fans in Lahore, it is a disappointment — the city was due to host its first Test of the home season — but the smog has left the board with little choice. Rawalpindi will now host the entire two-Test series.

The first Test so far

The series opener is already under way at the same venue. Pakistan declared their first innings at 434 for nine, with Saud Shakeel top-scoring with 93 and fifties from Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Arafat Minhas and captain Babar Azam. Sri Lanka replied strongly and reached 404 for four at stumps on day three, with Dhananjaya de Silva unbeaten on 167 and Kusal Mendis on 117 in an unbroken 249-run stand.

Sri Lanka have been touring Pakistan since early October. The visitors lost the three-match T20I series 2–1 before Pakistan also claimed the ODI tri-series, which featured England as the third team.

Not the first time smog has moved cricket

Air-quality concerns have disrupted cricket schedules in Pakistan before. Smog led to the relocation of a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe from Lahore to Rawalpindi in 2020, and a Test against New Zealand was moved from Multan to Karachi in 2022.

The pattern is familiar by now: when winter smog settles over Lahore, cricket moves. This time the shift is a short one, and with the first Test already in Rawalpindi, the series simply stays where it is.

Series at a glance

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are playing a two-Test series in the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The first Test is under way in Rawalpindi (9–13 November) and the second Test, originally scheduled for Lahore, will now also be played in Rawalpindi from 17 to 21 November.

FAQs

Why has the second Pakistan–Sri Lanka Test been moved from Lahore?

The PCB moved the match because of worsening smog and deteriorating air quality in Lahore. The city's air quality index has reportedly touched 600, and IQAir ranks Lahore as the world's most polluted major city at present.

Where will the second Test be played now?

At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the same venue hosting the first Test of the series.

Have the dates for the second Test changed?

No. The second Test will still be played from 17 to 21 November, as originally scheduled. Only the venue has changed.

What is the state of the first Test?

Pakistan declared their first innings at 434 for nine, with Saud Shakeel scoring 93. Sri Lanka reached 404 for four at stumps on day three, with Dhananjaya de Silva unbeaten on 167 and Kusal Mendis on 117.

Has smog forced cricket to move in Pakistan before?

Yes. Smog moved a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe from Lahore to Rawalpindi in 2020, and a Test against New Zealand was shifted from Multan to Karachi in 2022.

Conclusion

Lahore's smog has done what no bowler could: it has moved a Test match. The PCB's decision keeps the series on schedule and both teams in one place, but it is another reminder of how winter air quality now shapes Pakistan's home calendar. Rawalpindi will host the whole series, starting with the second Test on 17 November — and Lahore will have to wait for its next chance to host Test cricket.

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Sources:

Dawn — Second Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test shifted from Lahore to Rawalpindi over smog

Reuters — Pakistan move second Sri Lanka Test to Rawalpindi from Lahore due to smog

ESPNcricinfo — Smog in Lahore forces PCB to relocate second Test to Rawalpindi