Pakistan vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi due to smog, 17 to 21 November

The second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, due in Lahore from 17 to 21 November, has been moved to Rawalpindi because of smog. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the change on Tuesday, according to Reuters, as reported by Business Recorder. Rawalpindi already hosts the series opener, so both Tests of the two-match series will now be played at the same ground.

What changes for ticket holders and viewers

• Dates: unchanged, Tuesday 17 November to Saturday 21 November.
• Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium instead of Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
• Start times and ticket arrangements: these were not part of the announcement as reported. Check the PCB's own notice and ticketing channels before travelling, because the Lahore ticketing plan will not carry over automatically.
• Where to watch: the broadcast arrangements for the series are in our Tamasha live cricket guide.

Why Lahore was dropped

Lahore has had poor air for weeks. ARY News reported the city's air quality index at 451 on Wednesday 11 November, and said Lahore was at the top of the world's most polluted cities list. Business Recorder, citing Reuters, notes that IQAir ranks Lahore as the most polluted major city in the world during the seasonal winter smog.

An index reading above 300 is in the "hazardous" band on the common scale, which is why outdoor events in the city are being reconsidered. A five-day Test means players and crowds spend long hours in the open, so the PCB has chosen a venue with better air over keeping the original fixture.

Not the first time

This follows a pattern. In 2020 a limited-overs series against Zimbabwe was moved from Lahore to Rawalpindi because of smog, and in 2022 a Test against New Zealand was moved from Multan to Karachi for the same reason, Business Recorder noted.

What to watch next

The first Test in Rawalpindi is still being played. Our first Test page carries the squads, scores and TV details, and we will update this page when the PCB publishes start times and ticket information for the second Test.