The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked Cricket Australia (CA) to expand the upcoming T20I series from three matches to five, aiming for extra preparation.
The board believes a five-match series will give leading Pakistani players more match practice ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Australia had reportedly asked Pakistan not to recall its Big Bash League players for a concurrent series against Sri Lanka, complicating availability matters.
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Pakistan granted conditional NOCs to stars Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi, allowing BBL participation while available for Sri Lanka as required.
The clash between the Sri Lanka tour and the BBL season has complicated arrangements and prompted the PCB to seek a longer series.
The series is scheduled from 30 January to 5 February 2026, and the PCB says five T20Is would boost Pakistan’s World Cup preparation.
