For the first time, the first Test of the two-match series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand will be extended to six days instead of usual five. The Sri Lankan cricket board officially confirmed this on Friday. The reason for it is due to an event of national importance on the island—Sri Lanka’s Presidential election will be held on September 21, exactly in the middle of that Test match.
The Test is scheduled to start on September 18, but there will be a rest day on September 21 to allow for the national election. What this means is that the potentially key match won’t be disturbed by the election, and at the same time, it also allows the players, officials, and people at large to take part in the democratic process. The second Test of the series is scheduled to start on September 26, subject to the first match ending on time.
Sri Lanka is currently engaged in a three-match Test series against England. New Zealand, for their part, will play a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting September 9 before embarking to Sri Lanka for the much-anticipated series.
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In a related development, a ruling made by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court has sent ripples. The court ruled on Thursday that the government, headed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, should conduct the long-delayed local council elections without any further delay. The decision came on four fundamental rights petitions filed by opposition parties and civil society groups. These local elections have been pending since early last year and apply to more than 340 local councils.
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* 21st September will be a rest day of the 1st Test Match owing to the Presidential Election of Sri Lanka.#sportspavilionlk #SLvNZ #SLvsNZ #danushkaaravinda pic.twitter.com/kwhuwkQeVb
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda) August 23, 2024
The government first explained the delay of the election as a result of the country’s economic crisis. The Treasury had claimed there was no sufficient money to finance the elections. The reason was, however, thrown out by the Supreme Court, which said the government did not give enough evidence to prove total inability to finance the election. The court ordered that the elections be attended to and instructed Treasury to make a necessary allocation, noting that they had been catered for in the budget.
However, President Wickremesinghe explained his decision to postpone the election. While speaking during a public rally in a suburb of the capital city, Colombo, he said that his first priority had been to give time to his efforts toward getting the economy of the country back on track, which the crisis had seriously dented. He said that he did not regret the delay of polls adding that what bothered him was providing people with food, fuel, and medicine.
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It is for this reason that the President said though he respects the franchise, it is the right to life he respects more. “I took my decision because I feel I must find solutions to the economic problems the people are facing at this very moment,” he continued. With the Presidential poll scheduled for September 21 and the cricket series going on alongside, the political scene in Sri Lanka continues to be on tenterhooks as the results of both are being eagerly awaited by one and all nationals.
