Despite a strong start from the South Africa National Cricket Team, rain caused a 3 1/2-hour delay and eventually ended the first day of their first test against the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team. Fast bowlers Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando were able to remove the openers early on, but some luck and dropped catches allowed South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs to start building a partnership before play was stopped. The match is now set to resume on Day 2.
Rain Halts First Day of South Africa vs. Sri Lanka Test Match
Johannesburg, South Africa - The first day of the first Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka was abandoned due to rain after a 3 1/2-hour delay.
The match began with South Africa winning the toss and electing to bat first. Openers Sarel Erwee and Dean Elgar got off to a strong start, putting on 40 runs for the first wicket. However, Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando struck early blows, removing Elgar for 17 and Erwee for 20.
South Africa's captain, Temba Bavuma, and Tristan Stubbs came to the crease and began to build a partnership. Bavuma was dropped on 22 by Angelo Mathews, and Stubbs was dropped on 4 by Fernando. The pair had put on 53 runs for the third wicket before rain stopped play.
The match will resume on Day 2, with South Africa on 93/2.
Background
South Africa and Sri Lanka are two of the top cricketing nations in the world. South Africa is currently ranked fourth in the ICC Test rankings, while Sri Lanka is ranked sixth.
The two teams have a long history of playing each other, with South Africa holding a significant advantage. In 25 Test matches, South Africa has won 15, Sri Lanka has won 5, and 5 matches have been drawn.
The current Test series is the first between the two teams in over two years. The last time they played each other, South Africa won 2-0 in Sri Lanka.
Top 5 FAQs
Australia's captain Alyssa Healy's poor performance behind the wickets was overshadowed by her exceptional batting skills as she led her team to a comfortable 10-wicket win against Bangladesh in their Women's World Cup match. Her opening partner Phoebe Litchfield also remained unbeaten on 84 as Australia chased down the target of 199 in just 24.5 overs. Healy, who was named Player of the Match in their previous game against India, also praised her teammate Alana King for her impressive bowling performance.
During a match on the latest episode of AEW Dynamite, one of the leaders of La Facción Ingobernable reportedly dislocated his elbow after getting caught on the bottom rope. Despite the injury, he managed to continue with the post-match beatdown. It is uncertain if the injury will affect his future matches, including one scheduled for the following day in Mexico. Viewers can catch up on all the details of the incident and the rest of the AEW episode here.
After major flight delays and security restrictions, star Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill landed in Perth for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. Along with the rest of the team, they will face off against Australia starting on October 19 in Perth, followed by matches in Adelaide and Sydney. Questions about the future of Rohit and Kohli in the ODI team have sparked debate among fans.
Former New Zealand captain, Kane Williamson, has been signed on as the strategic advisor for IPL team, Lucknow Super Giants. He will be replacing Zaheer Khan and will be working with the likes of Justin Langer and Rishabh Pant. Williamson's appointment comes after a three-month-long process that began during his time in the UK, where he was also involved in the Hundred. The Super Giants will be looking to improve their performance after a seventh-place finish in IPL 2025.
Amidst speculations of his retirement, Virat Kohli, the iconic former captain of the Indian cricket team, took to social media to share a powerful message of resilience. With the first match of the Australian ODI series approaching, all eyes are on Kohli and his fellow veteran teammate Rohit Sharma, who will be returning to the squad as a player but not as captain. As the two legends approach the end of their international careers, fans are eagerly waiting to see how they fare on the field.
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer has collaborated with the faith-tech platform Bhagavad Gita for All, highlighting the use of the Gita's teachings for improved performance and mental wellness. With over 10,000 books sold and 1 lakh users on its mobile app, the platform aims to bring ancient wisdom into daily life through modern tech. Iyer's composure and focus on the field make him a perfect fit for this partnership, which also aims to reach Gen Z and Millennials for high-performance training.
The city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India has been recommended as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games by the Commonwealth Sport's Executive Board. This decision is set to be finalized on November 26 at the body's General Assembly, after being sent to the full membership of Commonwealth Sport. Gujarat Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel, expressed his pride and gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their vision and commitment towards making Ahmedabad the Sporting Capital of India.
Despite two goals from Ronaldo, Portugal was unable to secure their spot in the 2026 World Cup. Ronaldo's impressive performance, including his 40th and 41st World Cup qualifying goals, wasn't enough to overcome Hungary's late equalizer. Portugal will have to wait until November for another chance to qualify, with hopes of giving their star player one final shot at a major tournament.
In a heated match between India and Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, the Blue Tigers suffered a painful defeat as they failed to capitalize on their chances. Despite an early goal from Lallianzuala Chhangte, India's hopes were extinguished as Song Ui-young scored twice for Singapore, sealing their first win of the qualifying campaign. With just two points from four matches, India's chances of advancing to the next round now hang by a thread, as they would need to win all their remaining matches and hope for other results to go their way.
In a thrilling AFC Asian Cup qualifier match, Singapore stunned India with a 2-1 away victory, effectively ending the latter's hopes of qualification. Despite India's early lead through a stunning goal from Chhangte, Song Ui-young's clinical brace secured the win for Singapore. The result leaves India at the bottom of their group, while Singapore stays within reach of group leaders Hong Kong. India's missed chances ultimately proved costly, as their promising front-foot approach fell short in the end.