ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s preparations for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka will gather pace on Wednesday when the PCB Patron’s XI takes on the tourists in a three-day warm-up match at the Islamabad Club.
The fixture, running from Nov 4 to 6, is expected to serve two purposes: give the visitors a chance to acclimatise to local conditions and provide Pakistan’s Test hopefuls with red-ball practice before the first Test in Rawalpindi on Nov 9.
Patron’s XI head coach Ijaz Ahmed Junior said the match would be a useful opportunity for players who had performed well in domestic cricket to test themselves against an international side.
“Most of the players have been playing domestic cricket and have performed well. It should be a good contest,” Ijaz said in an interview released by the Pakistan Cricket Board. He added that the fixture would help those selected for the Test series prepare for the longer format.
The Patron’s XI trained alongside the Sri Lankan squad at the Islamabad Club on Tuesday. The 13-member Pakistan side is being led by wicket-keeper-batter Saad Baig, who described the captaincy as an honour and said he was excited to return to the role after a gap of around 18 months.
Saad said the shift from white-ball to red-ball cricket required a change in mindset. Players should retain their natural approach, he noted, but the longer format offered more time and demanded an early adjustment to different conditions.
“The preparation has been good,” he said, adding that he felt positive about leading the side.
Seven members of the Patron’s XI are also part of Pakistan’s 14-member Test squad: Saad, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha and Sameer Minhas. The remaining places have gone to Ali Shabbir, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Saqib Khan, Shoaib Akhtar Junior and Ubaid Shah.
The warm-up will also allow selectors to assess the pace options. The PCB has said two fast bowlers from the Patron’s XI will be added to the Test squad after the match concludes on Nov 6.
Pakistan have named three uncapped batters — Sameer Minhas, Mohammad Taha and Mohammad Suleman — in their initial squad after strong domestic first-class performances. Taha has been among the leading run-scorers in the President’s Trophy, while Suleman has also made a substantial contribution. Sameer earned his maiden call-up after an encouraging first-class season.
The two-Test series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. Pakistan will host the opening match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Nov 9 to 13, before the teams move to Lahore for the second Test at the Gaddafi Stadium from Nov 17 to 21.
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2026
