Why is the test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand being played for 6 days instead of 5?

SL Vs NZ Test: A Test match in cricket usually lasts for 5 days, in which both teams play 2-2 innings, both teams play 2-2 innings for 5 consecutive days until the result of the match is declared. But if you are told that the Test match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka starting on September 18 will be played for 6 days instead of 5, then you will definitely be surprised. This should be surprising because in recent times there is no example of a Test match being scheduled for 6 days instead of 5.

These days the New Zealand team is on a tour of Sri Lanka, where the first match of the 2 test match series is going on between the two teams in Galle. This match is scheduled from 18 to 23 September i.e. for 6 days. Now the question must be coming to your mind that why is this happening? Actually, the special thing about the Sri Lanka-New Zealand Galle Test match is that one day's rest has been given in this match. The Galle Test has been played for 3 days and on Saturday (21 September), the fourth day of the match was kept as a rest day due to the presidential election in Sri Lanka, due to which an extra day was added to this match and the match was scheduled for 6 days instead of 5. The fourth day of the test between the two teams will now start from Sunday instead of Saturday.

Let us tell you that voting took place on Saturday for the first presidential election to be held in 2022 after the worst economic crisis in Sri Lanka, after which the counting of votes is going on.

However, this is not the first time that a day of rest has been kept between a Test match. Such matches have happened before as well. The last time this happened was in a Test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2008 and this happened due to the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. During the first Test match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Mirpur, Dhaka from 26 to 31 December in 2008, elections were also scheduled in the country on 29 December. 29 December was decided as a day of rest for the elections. The game resumed on 30 December, which was considered the fourth day.