Sri Lanka Cricket unveils schedule for New Zealand series with unique six-day Test in Galle

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has unveiled the schedule for their upcoming Test series against New Zealand on Friday, August 23. The Sri Lanka National Cricket Team will be hosting New Zealand in a two-match Test series next month, with Galle International Cricket Stadium staging both Test matches.

The two-match Test series-opening game will be played on September 18 in Galle, which will also host the final game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand on September 26. This Test series is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle.

Notably, the Sri Lanka versus New Zealand first Test will span six days, with a rest day reintroduced on September 21 due to the Presidential Election of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka'.

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Galle set for extended Test action as Sri Lanka announces schedule for New Zealand Tests

The two-match series, part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship cycle, will commence on September 18.

The SLC said in a media release: “The New Zealand Men’s National Team will tour Sri Lanka during September 2024 to play a two-match test series against the Sri Lanka Men’s National Team. Test matches are a part of the ICC World Test Championship Cycle of 2023–2025. The 21st of September will be a rest day of the 1st Test match owing to the Presidential Election of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.”

It would be a rare occurrence in recent history, as it’s the first time in over two decades that a Test in Sri Lanka will span six days. The last time a Test match featured a rest day in Sri Lanka was in Colombo in 2001 against Zimbabwe.

Rest Days in Sri Lanka's Test history are rare

The rest day had come into the picture during the Sri Lanka versus Zimbabwe Test due to Poya Day, a local full moon celebration in the island nation. Historically, rest days were common in Test cricket, particularly in England, where many matches were stretched over six days, often including a Sunday without play.

The most recent Test to feature a rest day was in Dhaka in 2008, when there was a break for a parliamentary election during Bangladesh’s series opener against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are currently sitting at the third and fourth positions, respectively, in the WTC 2023-25 points table.

The upcoming Test series will be crucial for both teams, as they will be desperate for important points to boost their final chances. On the other hand, the Sri Lanka team is currently on England tour for a three-match Test series.

England and Sri Lanka are currently engaged in the Test series opener in Manchester, where the Islanders were in a strong position but slipped things due to Jamie Smith’s ton on Friday, August 23.

Here’s the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Test Series Schedule:

September 18-23: First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium

September 26-30: Second Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium