Adnan Farooq 
The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the match officials for 12 men’s international matches scheduled to be held in Pakistan from Oct 9 to Nov 21, 2026. The program comprises a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, a seven-match ODI tri-series featuring Pakistan, England and Sri Lanka and a two-match ICC World Test Championship series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The appointments include officials from the ICC Elite Panel, ICC International Panel and Pakistan’s national umpiring structure. The wide-ranging panel is designed to give experienced playing control teams in all three formats, but also to give emerging officials the chance to work with established international umpires and referees.
The fixtures will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore, with a three-day practice match also scheduled in Islamabad in between the ODI tri-series and the Test series. The long home program gives Pakistan a sustained period of international cricket in all formats.
Jeffrey Crowe To Lead Official Squad For ODI Tri-Series
The playing control team for all seven matches in the tri-series will be led by former New Zealand Test cricketer Jeffrey Crowe. The competition will be supervised by the ICC Elite Panel match referee from October 18 to 31, with matches being played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Crowe brings a wealth of experience to the assignment. He made his Test debut as a referee in a Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test in Faisalabad in October 2004 and recently became only the second official to officiate in 700 international matches as a referee, the PCB said. His international career has also included 350 ODIs as match referee.
An experienced Elite Panel referee will provide continuity across the seven-match tri-series. The series will be played across Rawalpindi and Lahore before the top two teams meet in the October 31 final at Gaddafi Stadium.
Ahsan Raza And Sharfuddoula To The ODI Umpire Panel
Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza and Bangladesh’s Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, both members of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will be an important part of the ODI officiating group. They will work alongside New Zealand’s Wayne Knights and Pakistan’s Asif Yaqoob, Nasir Hussain, Rashid Riaz Waqar and Faisal Khan Aafreedi.
Sharffuddoula and Faisal will be the match officials in the second match between Pakistan and England, while Knights and Asif will officiate the opening ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi on October 18. The appointments will rotate through the tri-series, giving the officials duties as on-field, third and fourth umpire.
Knights and Ahsan will be the on-field umpires for the final in Lahore, and Sharfuddoula will be the third umpire and Rashid Riaz Waqar the fourth umpire. The final match will be overseen by match referee Jeffrey Crowe.
Pakistan-Sri Lanka T20Is To Open International Home Schedule
The home international program will get underway with the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka from October 9. The three matches will be held at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on 9, 11 and 13 October, giving the two sides a short-format contest before the ODI tri-series gets underway.
The playing control team for the whole T20I series will be led by ICC International Panel Match Referee Ali Naqvi. Rashid Riaz Waqar and Nasir Hussain will be on-field umpires in the opening match, and Faisal Khan Aafreedi will be the third umpire.
Faisal and Nasir will be the on-field umpires for the second T20I, while Rashid will be the third umpire. Faisal and Rashid will be the on-field umpires for the third match, and Nasir will be the third umpire. Tariq Rasheed will be the fourth umpire for all three matches.
Pakistan To Host Big ODI Tri-Series In Two Cities
The ODI tri-series will kick off on October 18 with Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. Pakistan then take on England at the same venue on October 20, before Sri Lanka and England conclude the Rawalpindi leg on October 22.
The competition will shift to Lahore for the remaining matches. Pakistan will clash with England on October 25 and Sri Lanka on October 27, followed by the Sri Lanka-England clash on October 29. The final is set for October 31 at Gaddafi Stadium, completing a seven-match tournament across the two major cricket centres.
It is an opportunity for Pakistan to host both visiting teams in home conditions and in a format that gives several matches before the final. The appointment of seasoned international officials also brings a valuable element of continuity to the tournament’s playing control arrangements.
Cosker To Make Test Match Referee Debut
Dean Cosker will be in charge of the playing control team for the two-match Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The former English first-class cricketer will be on the field as a match referee during the series and is also a member of the ICC Emerging Match Referees Group.
Cosker made his international refereeing debut in October 2024 and has officiated 16 ODIs, 17 T20Is, three women’s ODIs and six women’s T20Is. Therefore, the Pakistan-Sri Lanka series will be a major boost to his growing international experience.
The first Test will be played in Rawalpindi from 9-13 November and the second Test will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from 17-21 November. Both matches are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test Series Elite Umpires Panel
The two Tests will have ICC Elite Panel umpires Adrian Holdstock, Allahuddien Palekar and Rodney Tucker. Holdstock and Tucker will be the on-field umpires in the first Test in Rawalpindi, with Palekar to join Holdstock in the second Test in Lahore.
Palekar will be the third umpire in Rawalpindi, and Tucker will be in Lahore. Pakistan’s Faisal Khan Aafreedi and Asif Yaqoob will be fourth umpires for the first and second Tests, respectively, further adding to the local representation in the officiating arrangements.
The longest format has a structured playing control team that consists of international Elite Panel umpires and Pakistani officials. The appointments also continue the tradition of blending seasoned international officials with members of the host country’s umpiring group.
Three-Day Practice Match Provides Preparation Before Tests
A three-day practice match will be played at Islamabad Club from November 4-6 before the first Test. Ahsan Raza and Abdul Moqeet will be the on-field umpires, while Zulfiqar Jan will be the fourth umpire and Kamran Chaudhary the match referee.
The practice fixture is part of the larger Sri Lanka tour and provides another competitive environment ahead of the World Test Championship matches. It also provides the chance for Pakistan’s domestic officials to work in a structured match environment with experienced members of the national and international umpiring system.
The extended schedule thus links international cricket with Pakistan’s domestic officiating pathway. Regular exposure to top-level fixtures can help develop officials and strengthen the depth pool available for future international appointments.
Home Schedule Bolsters Pakistan’s International Cricket Calendar
The officials’ announcement marks an important organisational feature of Pakistan’s upcoming home season. From October 9 to November 21, there are 12 international fixtures, with Pakistan featuring in T20I, ODI and Test cricket against established international opposition.
The itinerary also brings Rawalpindi and Lahore to the heart of Pakistan’s international cricket calendar. Rawalpindi will be the venue for the three T20Is, the first three ODIs and the first Test, whereas Lahore will host the last four ODIs including the tri-series final and the second Test.
The breadth of appointments, from the extensive refereeing experience of Jeffrey Crowe to the inclusion of Pakistan’s world-renowned umpires and rising stars, offers a complete officiating framework for the program. With the match officials confirmed, Pakistan’s home season now has a distinct administrative framework in place for what is set to be a busy period of international cricket in all three formats.
