NZ Tour Pakistan 2026 Day 1: Karachi Timings, Broadcast

The first Test of New Zealand's 2026 tour of Pakistan starts at 10:00 AM Pakistan Standard Time at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi (10:30 AM IST, 6:00 PM NZST). The toss is 30 minutes earlier with gates open from 8:30 AM PKT. Broadcast in Pakistan is on PTV Sports and A Sports with Tamasha as the OTT partner, while New Zealand viewers watch on Sky Sport NZ via Sky Go. Indian fans get the match on JioHotstar streaming with Star Sports television. Ticket allocation runs through the Pakistan Cricket Board's online portal alongside designated retailers, with tier prices indicative from 200 PKR for outer enclosures to 5,000 PKR for the President's Pavilion enclosure. Security-window protocols at Karachi require fans to arrive at least 90 minutes before play begins.

Tour Schedule

The 2026 New Zealand visit is structured as a two-Test series followed by white-ball legs spread across Karachi, Lahore and Multan. The Test schedule is the priority for both sides given WTC 2025-27 cycle positioning.

Match	Date	Venue	PKT Start	IST Start	NZST Start
1st Test	Nov 12, 2026	Karachi (National Bank Stadium)	10:00 AM	10:30 AM	6:00 PM
2nd Test	Nov 20, 2026	Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium)	10:00 AM	10:30 AM	6:00 PM
1st ODI	Dec 01, 2026	Multan Cricket Stadium	2:00 PM	2:30 PM	10:00 PM
2nd ODI	Dec 04, 2026	Karachi (National Bank Stadium)	2:00 PM	2:30 PM	10:00 PM
3rd ODI	Dec 07, 2026	Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium)	2:00 PM	2:30 PM	10:00 PM
1st T20I	Dec 11, 2026	Lahore (Gaddafi Stadium)	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	3:00 AM (next)
2nd T20I	Dec 13, 2026	Karachi (National Bank Stadium)	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	3:00 AM (next)
3rd T20I	Dec 15, 2026	Multan Cricket Stadium	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	3:00 AM (next)

Dates are subject to PCB confirmation and security clearance from the relevant authorities. NZST is 4 hours 30 minutes ahead of PKT and 7 hours 30 minutes ahead of IST during the daylight-saving window.

Day 1 Session Timings (Karachi Test)

Karachi in November sits in the cooler end of the South Asian Test window, with daytime temperatures around 28-30 degrees Celsius. Session structure follows ICC playing conditions.

Session	PKT	IST	NZST	Notes
Toss	9:30 AM	10:00 AM	5:30 PM	Captains, broadcaster intros
Session 1	10:00 AM-12:00 PM	10:30 AM-12:30 PM	6:00 PM-8:00 PM	Two-hour morning, new ball
Lunch	12:00 PM-12:40 PM	12:30 PM-1:10 PM	8:00 PM-8:40 PM	Forty-minute interval
Session 2	12:40 PM-2:40 PM	1:10 PM-3:10 PM	8:40 PM-10:40 PM	Tea break depends on overs
Tea	2:40 PM-3:00 PM	3:10 PM-3:30 PM	10:40 PM-11:00 PM	Twenty-minute break
Session 3	3:00 PM-5:00 PM	3:30 PM-5:30 PM	11:00 PM-1:00 AM (next)	Final session
Stumps	5:00 PM	5:30 PM	1:00 AM (next)	Day 1 close

Where to Watch

Region	TV Broadcaster	OTT / Streaming	Notes
Pakistan	PTV Sports / A Sports	Tamasha	Free-to-air on PTV
New Zealand	Sky Sport NZ	Sky Go / NEON	Cricket subscription
India	Star Sports network	JioHotstar	Hindi, English feeds
United Kingdom	TNT Sports	discovery+	Subscription
United States	Willow TV	Willow / Sling	Cricket package
Australia	Fox Cricket	Kayo	Cricket sports tier
South Africa	SuperSport	DStv Stream	Cricket package
Bangladesh	T Sports	Toffee	Subject to clearance
West Indies	ESPN Caribbean	ESPN Play Caribbean	Regional cricket rights

Tamasha streaming in Pakistan is free with mobile carrier sponsorship for many segments. Sky Sport NZ pricing runs at approximately 31.99 NZD per month for the standalone Sky Sport NOW package.

Tickets and Pricing (Indicative)

Karachi's National Bank Stadium holds approximately 32,000 spectators. Pricing tiers reflect the venue's mix of grandstands, pavilion seating and corporate hospitality.

Tier	Test (Karachi)	ODI (Karachi)	T20I (Karachi)
Outer Enclosure	200 PKR	400 PKR	600 PKR
General Stand	500 PKR	1,000 PKR	1,500 PKR
Reserved Stand	1,500 PKR	2,500 PKR	3,500 PKR
Premium Pavilion	3,000 PKR	5,000 PKR	7,500 PKR
President's Pavilion	5,000 PKR	8,000 PKR	12,000 PKR

PCB's ticketing partner handles release in tranches, with a member-window followed by general public release. CNIC verification is mandatory at gate entry. Security checks at multiple perimeter points mean fans should plan arrival at least 90 minutes before first ball.

Security-Window Logistics

Karachi Test cricket has restored its rhythm but security protocols remain robust. Three perimeter checkpoints handle fan flow, and bag size is restricted to one A4-sized bag per spectator. Outside food and bottled water above 500 ml are not permitted; PCB-approved concessions handle in-venue food and beverage. Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium operates similar protocols.

For New Zealand fans travelling, visa applications for Pakistan run through the Pakistan High Commission with processing times of approximately three to four weeks. Indian fans typically watch from home given the bilateral travel restrictions.

This series is a key Test marker for both sides; the New Zealand vs Pakistan tri-series final 2026 recap covers their most recent meeting, and the longer-form Pakistan tour preview frame is laid out in our Pakistan tour England 2026 Test series preview. For the T20 World Cup audition layer, our T20 World Cup 2026 Pakistan squad preview tracks the Pakistan side through the year.

What to Watch For

Karachi pitches in November have historically rewarded a balanced attack, with reverse swing from the 30th over onwards a recurring theme. Pakistan's seam group around Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah will look to set the tone in the first session, while the spin pair of Sajid Khan and Abrar Ahmed (or whoever PCB's selectors pick) will dominate Days 3-5. New Zealand's top order, with Conway, Latham and Williamson, has played sub-continental conditions before but the Karachi surface has its quirks. The series-opening session will tell us whether this becomes a 1-1 or a 2-0 series, and whether either side's spin attack survives the Lahore Test that follows.