Earthquake halts Test match in Bangladesh; players and coaching staff rush to the field in Panic

A rare incident took place on Day 3 of the second and final Test match between Bangladesh and Ireland at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Friday, November 21. The ongoing Test match was halted for a few minutes as an earthquake rocked Dhaka and several parts of Bangladesh on Friday morning.

Bangladesh tightened their grip on the second Test with dominant performances. Liton Das and Mushfiqur Rahim smashed centuries as Bangladesh posted a total of 476 in the first innings. The visiting team reached 98 for five at the end of the second day’s play. Bangladesh took the upper hand in the match.

Play Briefly Halted on Day Three of Bangladesh vs Ireland Test

Play was briefly interrupted during the morning session of the third day. Ireland were 165 for 5 in their second innings when the earthquake struck. Umpires halted the match, and players from both teams moved toward the centre of the field.

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The tremors caused immediate concern among spectators and officials. Fans in the stands moved toward open areas, with some leaving the venue entirely, while others gathered closer to the playing area. Dressing rooms were vacated, and members of the media evacuated the media centre as a precaution.

It was reported that the quake measured around 5.5 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre near Madhabdi, roughly 40 km from Dhaka. Tremors were also felt across parts of West Bengal and northeast India. Fortunately, no casualties or damage were reported.

The stoppage lasted only a few minutes. After safety checks and discussions among officials, play resumed, with commentators noting that even the commentary box had felt the vibrations.

Play Has Stopped Here Due to Earthquake - Cricket Ireland

The stoppage in Mirpur lasted only half a minute before play continued. According to the USGS, the quake struck at 10:08 AM IST, with the tremors reaching Dhaka at around 10:40 AM.

Earthquakes disrupting cricket are extremely rare. The last known instance before this occurred in 2022, when a Zimbabwe–Ireland Under-19 match was briefly paused due to similar tremors.

“Goodness. Play has stopped here due to a minor tremor/earthquake,” Cricket Ireland wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“A 5.7-magnitude earthquake has been felt in Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh today at 10:38 am,” a statement on Bangladesh Meteorological Department read on its website.

Goodness. Play has stopped here due to a minor tremor / earthquake.

— Cricket Ireland (@cricketireland) November 21, 2025

Strong earthquake in Bangladesh, hope everyone is safe. 🇧🇩 pic.twitter.com/VZ4QwbS9qm

— ICC Asia Cricket (@ICCAsiaCricket) November 21, 2025

Ireland Bowled Out for 265 runs in the First Innings

Ireland fought hard in the opening session, adding 113 runs despite losing two wickets. Stephen Doheny and Lorcan Tucker walked in under pressure with the score at 98 for 5, but they took advantage of Bangladesh’s inconsistent bowling to strike several boundaries.

The duo added an 81-run stand before the earthquake interruption halted play briefly. Ireland were bowled out for 265 runs in 88.3 overs. Taijul Islam picked up four wickets while Khaled Ahmed and Hasan Murad bagged two scalps.

Earlier, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das scored centuries that lifted the hosts to a total of 476 after resuming on 340 for 5. Mushfiqur reached his 13th Test hundred in his 100th Test before being dismissed for 106 by debutant Matthew Humphreys.

Andy McBrine took his second Test six-for, while Humphreys and Gavin Hoey added two wickets each. Remarkably, all ten Bangladesh wickets in the innings were taken by Ireland’s spinners.

Also read: Watch: Ben Stokes stunned, Mitchell Starc dismantles his stumps in Ashes opener