PCB Shifts Second Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test to Rawalpindi Due to Weather Concerns

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday that the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now be played in Rawalpindi instead of Lahore.

The match was originally scheduled to take place at Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21. However, the PCB decided to move it because of the worsening weather conditions in Lahore.

A PCB spokesperson said rising smog levels in the city were behind the decision to shift the match to a different venue.

"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," said the PCB statement.

"A spokesperson for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the decision was taken in view of increasing smog levels in Lahore, prompting the relocation of the second Test to Rawalpindi," added the PCB statement.

It should be noted that the PCB has changed the venue for the second Test, but there will be no change to the match dates. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will now meet at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from November 17 to 21.

The announcement came during the opening Test, where Pakistan have taken a strong position after the first two days. The hosts declared their innings at 434-9, building a 320-run lead over Sri Lanka, who finished the second day at 114-3 in reply.

Several Pakistani batters made useful contributions to the total, with Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel and Arafat Minhas all scoring fifties. The home side batted for 106.3 overs before calling their innings to a close.

Talking about Sri Lanka, they have struggled to keep pace with the hosts' total, losing three wickets in 27.1 overs. Meanwhile, poor light also shortened the final session of play, marking the second straight day that the players had to leave the field early.