Watch: Monitor Lizard Enters Ground, Halts Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan Test

A monitor lizard entered the ground during the Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan one-off Test match in Colombo on Saturday. The incident took place during Sri Lanka’s batting on Day 2 of the game at Sinhalese Sports Club. In the 48th over, the reptile made its way over the boundary rope and entered the playing area. Dinesh Chandimal was set to face Afghanistan pacer Nijat Masood for the fourth delivery of the over. As soon as the monitor lizard’s activity on the edge of the boundary came to notice, the umpire was quick to stop the play. The action continued only after the reptile was taken off the ground.

Watch it here:

We had an uninvited guest on the field today #SonySportsNetwork #SLvAFG pic.twitter.com/1LvDkLmXij

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) February 3, 2024

Talking about the game, Chandimal and Angelo Mathews put on a record 232-run fourth-wicket partnership Saturday to leave Sri Lanka in firm control on day two of their one-off Test against Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka were leading by 212 runs with four wickets in hand at stumps, with Mathews sent back on the final ball for 141 and Sadeera Samarawickrama (21) still at the crease. Chandimal (107) also notched up a century in a partnership that broke a record at the Sinhalese Sports Club that had stood for 32 years.

Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha had put on 230 runs for the fourth wicket there in what is fondly remembered as the Shane Warne Test match, when the spin king helped Australia secure a thrilling 16-run win in 1992.

Mathews and Chandimal came together after three wickets had fallen in the morning session and Sri Lanka were still 50 runs behind.

The two senior batsmen saw off some accurate bowling by the Afghan fast bowlers on a wicket that had flattened out to the detriment of spinners.

Afghanistan were bowled out for 198 in the final session of Friday’s first day, after being put in to bat by the hosts.

(With AFP Inputs)