LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has approached Cricket Australia with a request to expand the upcoming T20I series between the two nations from three matches to five, seeking additional preparation ahead of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The series is scheduled to be played in Australia from January 30 to February 5.
The move comes amid scheduling complications involving Pakistan’s players in the Big Bash League (BBL). Australia had reportedly requested that Pakistan not recall its BBL stars for the series against Sri Lanka. In response, the PCB granted conditional NOCs to Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Shadab Khan, and Hasan Ali, allowing them to participate in the BBL provided they remained available for national duty in the Sri Lanka T20Is.
However, the overlap between the Sri Lanka series and the BBL season has complicated arrangements, prompting the PCB to push for a longer series against Australia. Officials believe that five T20Is would provide Pakistan’s top players with crucial match practice and a stronger build-up to the World Cup, while also balancing their commitments to the lucrative BBL.
