Galle Test: Rain plays spoilsport on Day 5
What's the story
The first Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Galle has been marred by rain on the final day. Bangladesh began Day 5 on a strong note, but inclement weather forced match officials to halt proceedings in the middle of the first session. The Galle International Stadium is expected to witness heavy rainfall today, with an 80% chance of precipitation this morning.
Match status
Bangladesh in driver seat
Bangladesh were in a strong position at the start of Day 5, having placed at 177/3 in their second innings. They had taken a narrow first-innings lead of 10 runs, thanks to Nayeem Hasan's five-wicket haul. However, just as the match was getting interesting in the 76th over, rain interrupted play at the historic venue. The Tigers were 237/4 at the stop of play with captain Najmul Hossain Shanto (89*) leading the proceedings.
Weather prediction
What will happen today?
AccuWeather has predicted that heavy rain could lead to the possible abandonment of Day 5 in this series opener. The probability of rain is expected to drop to 55% in the afternoon. However, if it continues to pour down, we might see an early end to this exciting contest between South Asian rivals.
Match highlights
How has the match proceeded?
Earlier in the match, Bangladesh batted first and scored a mammoth 495/10. Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim played spectacular innings to help their team post a huge total. In reply, Sri Lanka suffered a lower-order collapse but managed to score 485 runs in their first innings, giving Bangladesh a slender 10-run lead. Pathum Nissanka (187) and Kamindu Mendis (87) batted well.