New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS): The first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at Galle, scheduled to begin on September 18, will have a rest day on September 21 due to presidential elections in the island nation.

While announcing the schedule for the two-match Test series, which is a part of the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the first game will be played across six days, with September 21 earmarked as a rest day 'owing to the Presidential Election of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka'.

It will be the first time a rest day, a common fixture in red-ball matches in the previous millennium, will be included in a Test match since 2008. Sri Lanka last held a Test match across six days in 2001, when their game against Zimbabwe at Colombo included a rest day due to Poya Day (full moon day) in the island nation, with no sporting activities held that day.

Both Test matches between Sri Lanka and New Zealand will be played in Galle, with the second Test scheduled for September 26-30. Sri Lanka and New Zealand are currently sitting in third and fourth places respectively on the 2023-2025 World Test Championship standings.

New Zealand’s last tour of Sri Lanka was in August 2019, when it drew a two-match Test series 1-1. Sri Lanka are currently playing a three-match Test series in England, while New Zealand are prepping for a one-off Test against Afghanistan at Greater Noida, starting from September 5.

Sri Lanka are also scheduled to tour New Zealand for three ODIs and as many T20Is from December 28 to January 11, 2025, with their women’s team to tour the nation for the same number of 50-over and 20-over games from March 4 to 18 next year.