WATCH Sri Lanka and Afghanistan players-coaches scramble away as A MONITOR LIZARD enters field

The Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan one-off Test match was stopped midway at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo due to the most bizarre reason. A monitor lizard entered the field of play and the match had to be temporarily halted due to the reason. 

In the 47th over of the SL vs AFG Test match on Day 2, the reptile crawled onto the field from the boundary ropes. The fielder was distracted by the proceedings as the umpire decided to halt play. 

SL vs AFG Test match: Sri Lanka in cruise control

Earlier, Dimuth Karunaratne scored his 35th test half-century but Afghanistan's bowlers picked up three important wickets to keep Sri Lanka in check at 177-3 at lunch on the second day of the one-off test. Sri Lanka have managed get the score past 250 with Dinesh Chandimal completing his half-century. Earlierin the day, Seamer Naveed Zadran had Madushka (37) caught at leg slip by Noor Ali Zadran adding just one run to his overnight score, to have Sri Lanka at 93-1.

Sri Lanka resumed on Saturday at 80 without loss in reply to Afghanistan's first innings of 198 all out, with Karunaratne batting on 42 with Nishan Madushka on 36, at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Kusal Mendis (10) then gifted a catch to deep square leg from a bouncer by seamer Nijat Masood (1-29).

Karunaratne made 77 off 72 deliveries including 12 boundaries before being caught by Ibrahim Zadran off leg spin bowler Qais Ahmed (1-32).

Angelo Mathews (29 not out) and Dinesh Chandimal (15 not out) then added a steady 29-run stand to see the hosts safely to lunch and trailing Afghanistan by 21 runs.

Afghanistan was bowled out for 198 in its first innings on the opening day Friday with Rahmat Shah top scoring with 91 runs.

This is the first test match between the two countries since Afghanistan was admitted as a test playing nation in 2018.

(with AP inputs)