PAK vs SL 1st Test Match Prediction: Who Will Win the Rawalpindi Test?

Pakistan begin the red-ball leg of Sri Lanka’s long tour when the first Test of the two-match series gets underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. After lifting the tri-series trophy in Lahore on October 31, Babar Azam’s side now switch formats with the World Test Championship table in mind — Pakistan sit bottom of the standings, while Sri Lanka are seventh. Both teams are out of contention for the WTC final, but pride and ranking points are still on the line.

Sri Lanka arrive in Rawalpindi as the more settled side on paper, with Kusal Mendis leading the Test team for the first time. Pakistan, by contrast, have named a squad packed with fresh faces — eight uncapped players in a 16-man group — and head coach Mike Hesson has reportedly asked for pace-friendly surfaces to back his fast bowlers.

PAK vs SL 1st Test Match Details and Timings

Detail	Information
Match	Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test
Series	Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan, two-match Test series (ICC World Test Championship 2025-27)
Date	Monday, November 9 to Friday, November 13, 2026
Venue	Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Start time	9:30 AM PKT | 10:00 AM IST | 4:30 AM GMT
Toss	9:00 AM PKT
Live telecast (Pakistan)	PTV Sports HD, Ten Cricket
Live streaming (Pakistan)	Tapmad, Tamasha, PCB YouTube channel
Live telecast (India)	Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 5
Live streaming (India)	SonyLIV app and website
Live telecast (Sri Lanka)	Supreme TV, Ten Cricket Sri Lanka
2nd Test	November 17-21, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Test Head-to-Head Record

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have played 59 Test matches against each other. Pakistan have won 23, Sri Lanka have won 17, and 19 have ended in draws. The last series between the sides, in Sri Lanka in 2023, ended in a 2-0 win for Pakistan, with a four-wicket win in Galle followed by an innings-and-222-run victory in Colombo, where Saud Shakeel struck a double century.

The last home series between the two sides came in 2019-20, when Pakistan won 1-0: the Rawalpindi Test ended in a draw and Pakistan won the Karachi Test. Sri Lanka’s last Test win against Pakistan away from home came in 2017, when they swept a two-match series 2-0 in the UAE, which was Pakistan’s adopted home at the time.

The two sides have already met plenty of times on this tour. Pakistan won the tri-series final in Lahore on October 31, chasing down Sri Lanka’s 325/8 with three wickets in hand thanks to Fakhar Zaman’s 127, but Sri Lanka had their moment too, bowling Pakistan out for 110 and winning the fifth ODI by eight wickets in Lahore.

Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Pitch Report and Test Records

Rawalpindi has traditionally been a batter-friendly ground, and the numbers back that up. Across nine Test matches at the venue, the average first-innings score is 380.3 and the average match total stands at 1,021.8 runs. Seam and spin share the wickets almost equally — seam accounts for 48.4% of dismissals and spin 48.8%.

Teams batting first have won only 28.6% of Tests here, and Pakistan’s own record at the ground since 2021 reads one win, four defeats and one draw from six matches. That is a poor return for a home venue, and it explains the reported instruction from head coach Mike Hesson to prepare pace-friendly, fast tracks for both Tests. A livelier surface would bring Mohammad Abbas, Aamer Jamal and the young quicks into the game from the first morning.

November weather in Rawalpindi is usually dry, so rain is unlikely to play a major role. If the pitch stays true to its recent character, expect a high-scoring first innings and a match that goes deep into the fifth day.

Pakistan Team Preview: A Bold Rebuild Under Babar Azam

Pakistan’s 16-member squad, updated on November 7, is the boldest selection statement of this rebuild. Babar Azam captains the side, and around him are three uncapped batters who earned their first Test call-ups — Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Tayyab Arif — plus uncapped fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan. Pace-bowling all-rounder Aamer Jamal returns, while slow left-arm spinner Ali Usman and opening batter Abdullah Fazal were released from the original 14-man squad.

The batting order is deliberately unsettled. Azan Awais and Sameer Minhas are the leading contenders to open, which would hand two debutants the new ball against Asitha Fernando and Lahiru Kumara on a surface the coach wants to be lively. Pakistan have lost six of their seven Tests in 2026 and sit ninth in the WTC table with a points percentage of just 4.63%, weighed down further by a 19-point deduction. When a team is at the bottom, blooding new players at home is the right time to do it.

Experience sits in the middle order. Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha — the Player of the Match in the tri-series opener after his hundred — carry the batting, while Mohammad Abbas brings control and wicket-taking nous with the new ball. Arafat Minhas, who took 6/40 in the tri-series, is the only frontline spinner in the squad, which underlines how much Pakistan are leaning into the pace plan.

Pakistan Probable Playing XI

Azan Awais, Sameer Minhas, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Taha, Saad Baig (wk), Aamer Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Abbas, Saqib Khan.

Sri Lanka Team Preview: Settled Squad, New Test Captain

Sri Lanka have named a settled 15-member squad for the series, and the headline change is at the top: Kusal Mendis captains the Test side for the first time, taking over from Dhananjaya de Silva, who remains in the squad. Pathum Nissanka is back after missing the ODI tri-series with a hamstring injury, Dinesh Chandimal brings a mountain of Test runs, Kamindu Mendis was the star of the tri-series final with a maiden ODI century, and Dhananjaya de Silva remains one of the most dependable all-rounders in the format.

The bowling attack is built around left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who has been Sri Lanka’s most reliable Test wicket-taker in recent years, supported by the pace trio of Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara and Dilshan Madushanka. Eshan Malinga’s selection is subject to a fitness clearance, while Milan Rathnayaka and Sonal Dinusha add all-round depth. Sri Lanka sit seventh in the WTC standings with a points percentage of 33.33%, well clear of Pakistan, after defeats in the Caribbean and at home to India ended their push for the final.

Sri Lanka’s preparation included a three-day warm-up against a PCB Patron’s XI at the Islamabad Club from November 4 to 6, giving their batters a look at Pakistani conditions before the real contest.

Sri Lanka Probable Playing XI

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Sonal Dinusha, Milan Rathnayaka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka.

Key Battles That Will Decide the Rawalpindi Test

Babar Azam vs Prabath Jayasuriya

Babar is Pakistan’s best batter and its captain, and Jayasuriya is Sri Lanka’s most dangerous bowler. Their duel through Pakistan’s innings could decide the first-innings total. Babar’s record against left-arm spin is strong, but Jayasuriya’s accuracy and drift have troubled better players than him.

Kamindu Mendis vs Mohammad Abbas

Kamindu arrives in red-ball form after his 131 in the tri-series final and has been Sri Lanka’s most consistent batter across formats this year. Abbas, back in the Test side, is the bowler most likely to test his technique outside off stump with the new ball.

Pathum Nissanka vs Aamer Jamal

Nissanka’s return strengthens Sri Lanka’s top order, and he likes to take the attack to the bowlers. Jamal, recalled for his pace and bounce, will be asked to hit the deck hard and push him back.

Salman Ali Agha vs Dhananjaya de Silva

Both are the glue of their respective middle orders — calm, busy batters who also bowl handy overs. Salman is coming off a superb white-ball series, while Dhananjaya has the experience of captaining Sri Lanka. The team whose all-rounder scores more in this Test probably takes the first-innings lead.

PAK vs SL 1st Test Match Prediction: Who Will Win?

Pakistan start as narrow favourites, and the reasons are straightforward: home conditions, a pace-friendly pitch prepared to their strengths, and the momentum of the tri-series final win over Sri Lanka in Lahore. Sri Lanka’s experienced batting gives them a genuine chance, and their spin attack could come into its own if the match reaches the fourth and fifth days — but the hosts have the better fast-bowling hand for the surface Hesson wants.

The risk for Pakistan is obvious: an opening pair that may feature two debutants, and a batting line-up with eight uncapped players in the squad, could fold cheaply against a disciplined Sri Lankan attack. Sri Lanka showed in the fifth ODI of the tri-series, when they bowled Pakistan out for 110, that they can exploit a fragile top order. If Rawalpindi stays flat, a draw is very much on the cards given the ground’s history.

Even so, the balance of the contest favours the home side. Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha give Pakistan a solid core, Mohammad Abbas and Aamer Jamal are well suited to the planned conditions, and Sri Lanka’s recent away Test record does not inspire confidence. Expect Pakistan to take a first-innings lead and push for the win on day five.

Prediction: Pakistan to win the 1st Test at Rawalpindi and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

PAK vs SL 1st Test FAQs

When does the PAK vs SL 1st Test start?

The first Test starts on Monday, November 9, 2026, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Play begins at 9:30 AM PKT (10:00 AM IST) each day, and the match runs until Friday, November 13.

Where can I watch the PAK vs SL 1st Test live in India?

In India, the Test will be telecast on Sony Sports Ten 1 and Sony Sports Ten 5, with live streaming on the SonyLIV app and website.

Who is captaining Sri Lanka in the Test series?

Kusal Mendis captains Sri Lanka in Tests for the first time in this series, taking over from Dhananjaya de Silva, who remains in the squad.

How many uncapped players are in Pakistan’s Test squad?

Pakistan’s 16-member squad includes eight uncapped players, including batters Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Tayyab Arif, and fast bowlers Ali Shabbir and Saqib Khan.

What is the head-to-head record between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Tests?

The two sides have played 59 Tests. Pakistan have won 23, Sri Lanka have won 17, and 19 have ended in draws. Pakistan won the last series 2-0 in Sri Lanka in 2023. For the wider fixture list, see our international cricket schedule.