Pakistan and Australia will meet in a three-match T20 international series in Lahore later this month, with both sides viewing the contest as a crucial final step in their preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
All three matches will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, with evening starts scheduled for January 29, January 31 and February 1. Australia’s squad, led by Mitchell Marsh, is due to arrive in Lahore on January 28, just days before the global tournament begins on February 7 across India and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan come into the series after a mixed T20 tour of Sri Lanka. They won the opening match by six wickets, saw the second game washed out by rain and then lost the third, allowing the hosts to level the series 1-1.
The Lahore series carries added significance given the World Cup groupings. Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India, the United States, the Netherlands and Namibia. Australia, meanwhile, will compete in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman.
For Australia, the tour marks another step in their gradual return to regular cricket in Pakistan. This will be their third bilateral visit since March-April 2022. More recently, they also played three matches in Pakistan during the 2025 Champions Trophy. Their only previous T20 international at Gaddafi Stadium came on April 5, 2022, when they won by three wickets.
Pakistan Cricket Board chief operating officer Sumair Ahmed Syed said the board was eager to welcome Australia back to Lahore.
“We are excited to host Australia for a three-match series in Lahore, which will be a blockbuster start to the year for Pakistan cricket fans,” he said. “This series will be an important part of the T20 World Cup preparations and we invite supporters to come and back both teams.”
He also referenced Australia’s previous tour, adding that the visitors would again receive strong local support.
Pakistan last toured Australia in November 2024, a series that proved historic in the 50-over format. Under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy, Pakistan won an ODI series in Australia for the first time since 2002, taking it 2-1. However, Australia responded by sweeping the T20 series 3-0 on the same tour.
In T20 internationals overall, the sides have met 28 times. Australia hold a narrow edge with 14 wins, while Pakistan have won 12 matches. One game ended in a tie and another was abandoned.
With the World Cup fast approaching, the Lahore series offers both teams a final opportunity to refine combinations and assess form under pressure.
