ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan national cricket team has begun arriving in Colombo ahead of the T20 series against Sri Lanka.
The first group, comprising four players, reached the Sri Lankan capital on Thursday.
The group includes Shadab Khan, Rana Fahim Ashraf, Wasim Junior, and Salman Mirza.
Pakistan’s head coach, Mike Hesson, also arrived with the group.
Bowling coach Ashley Noffke, fielding coach, and other support staff members were part of the delegation.
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, the remaining players and support staff will depart from Lahore for Colombo on January 5 in the afternoon.
پاکستان/سری لنکا ٹی ٹوئنٹی سیریز
قومی ٹی ٹوئنٹی سکواڈ کا چار کھلاڑیوں پر مشتمل پہلا گروپ کولمبو پہنچ گیا
کولمبو پہنچنے والے پہلے گروپ میں شاداب خان ، رانا فہیم اشرف ، وسیم جونئیر اور سلمان مرزا شامل
ہیڈ کوچ مائیک ہیسن ، باؤلنگ کوچ ایشلے نوفکی، فیلڈنگ کوچ اور سپورٹ سٹاف کے… pic.twitter.com/mgSJjrEQrt
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) January 4, 2026
The team will participate in intensive practice sessions in Colombo to prepare for the T20 series.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will play its T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka. Yesterday, Bangladesh also refused to travel to India for the World Cup and decided to request their matches at next month’s T20 World Cup be played in Sri Lanka.
“We will not accept any insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh under any circumstances,” said Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the interim government, in a statement carried by the state-run BSS news agency Sunday.
“The days of slavery are over.”
