Due to the island nation’s upcoming general election, Sri Lanka’s first Test against New Zealand at Galle next month will last six days, with one day off in between. In response to “The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka’s presidential elections,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a release on Friday that the Test, which was scheduled to begin on September 18, will be postponed until September 21.
According to the ICC, Island Nation will host a test match for over six days for the first time in over 20 years. Their 2001 match against Zimbabwe in Colombo included a rest day because of Poya Day, which is a full moon. The second Test of the two-match series, which is a part of the current ICC World Test Championship cycle, is set to take place at the same location on September 26–30.
Sri Lanka’s Historic Six-Day Test Series
Six days will pass between the opening game of the SL vs. NZ Test series, which gets underway in Galle on September 18. As part of the current ICC World Test Championship 2023–25 cycle, Island Nation and New Zealand will play two matches to raise their respective rankings. The last time these two teams faced off in a test series was in 2023. At home, the Black Caps prevailed 2-0 in the series.
The Island Nation was last visited by New Zealand in 2019 when they drew the test series 1-1. Over the last century, Test cricket became accustomed to rest days. Six days were often set aside for matches, with Sundays off. The first Test series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka took place in December 2008 and lasted six days because of a parliamentary election.
As of right now, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the World Test Championship rankings. The last time a rest day was used in a Test match took place in Dhaka, BAN vs. SL in 2008. On December 29, a day of rest was declared in light of a parliamentary election.
WTC Rankings: SL vs. NZ
Sri Lanka and New Zealand, who are now ranked third and fourth in the standings, respectively, are both serious competitors in the current ICC World Test Championship 2023–25 cycle. Along with a one-off Test match against Afghanistan and a three-match Test series against India, this series will be a part of New Zealand’s upcoming Test tours in Asia.
The Galle International Stadium will host both of the series’ Test matches, with the second game taking place from September 26 to 30. A unique opportunity to combine the traditional format of Test cricket with modern scheduling demands, cricket fans eagerly await this once-in-a-lifetime event. Currently playing England in a three-match Test series, Sri Lanka will need to win at least one or two games in the UK to have a chance if the results go against them and they are eliminated from the WTC final qualification.
On the other hand, the Black Caps have a one-off test against Afghanistan in the second week of September. New Zealand will be visiting the subcontinent for a somewhat extended tour. Before returning to India for three more games after a trip to Sri Lanka. The Island Nation is presently in fourth place in the WTC standings, with New Zealand in third.
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